The winter sports season is in full force and we are ready to go. For the most part in here, you’ll get a Thursday Newsletter that will recap the past week and, hopefully, look ahead to the weekend as well. If you especially love girls hoops — our speciality — please share with a friend and have them hit that subscribe button.

But, we’ll also have more. Some boys basketball for sure. Some wrestling. We’ll do our best to keep you up to date on everything Nebraska high school sports.

With that, let’s dive in. Our first go around for December 2024. It’s time to start hoops.

The Griffin Show

The schedule is a bit different this year for Wade Coulter and his Gretna East Griffin girls’ basketball team.

Last year, in their first season as a school, the Griffins played in the Metro Conference as Class A was in the last year of a two-year scheduling rotation. Complicating matters was that the other public school in the district, Gretna High, was also in Class A.

So, the Griffins worked their way through that schedule. When, they played their first Class B team, Waverly, on January 30, they were 10-5. And didn’t play their second Class B game until sub-district play when the Griffins beat Bennington, then lost to eventual state champion Elkhorn North in the sub-district final before beating Crete for a trip to state.

“Four of our top eight last year, either their freshman or sophomore year didn’t even play basketball,” Coulter said after a victory of Grand Island Northwest on Saturday. “So, you had a bunch of kids that either didn't play basketball the year before, or we're playing junior high or JV basketball.

“Trying to play against Omaha Marian and Millard West and (Lincoln) Southwest was a challenge. But, to their credit it was all the kids. We battled all season.”

Gretna East then beat Waverly again in the first round at state, finishing 19-8 losing to Skutt 45-28 in the state semifinals. But now, expectations are a little higher for the Griffins in year two. It’s just that the top end basketball is still pretty good.

Skutt is still there (No. 2 in our Power 20 this week) and Lincoln Pius has dropped from Class A to Class B. But the Griffins still have big goals, with a group that includes three Division I soccer players — Addie Larock (Omaha), Karli Williams (Nebraska) and Sonora De Fini (Oklahoma State) — in the starting lineup.

“Last March 1st, we scored eight points in the first half against Skutt in the state tournament,” Coulter said. “So, we knew we had to get better. For us, it’s a driving force to get to the state tournament — or reach your ceiling — every year. That’s why we do this.

“As a coach, you lose years off your life. You lose sleep. Your wife hates you. But, you love it. You go to the state tournament and the atmosphere there is what it is all about. Last year none of our kids had played there before. It’s pretty awesome, so let’s get there (again).”

With all three “soccer players” back — Williams led the team in scoring last year — and sharpshooting Taryn French as well, Coulter knows that teams will look at them just a little different this season. They are joined by Maryville University volleyball pledge Hailey Levinson in the starting lineup.

Tonight starts the first big test when they play Lincoln Pius in the Class A-B Showdown. Skutt will play Gretna and then winners and losers will match up on Friday.

“Other teams are coming,” Coulter said. “But, now we have done it and we need to get from here to there. We just need to get better every day. We preach it every single day. Be the best you, so we can be the best us.”

Nebraska Prep Girls Hoops Power 20

We are back for a second (or is it third??) season of the Nebraska prep girls’ hoops Power 20. You know, the first crack is always the hardest. So, if your team thinks you need to be in a different place, there is a simple fix for that. Win some games that make us watch. We are trying this based on a few things: returning players, chats with coaches, some jamboree results we heard and, well, our gut.

So, here we go. Previous ranking is the final ranking from the 2023-24 season.

1 - Millard West (1-0): The defending Class A champions Creighton commits Neleigh and Norah Gessert back. The odds-on favorites to repeat in Class A. Last ranking: 1. 

2 - Omaha Skutt Catholic (2-0): In our season ending ranking we noted, “the possible Class B favorites next season with all-stater Molly Ladwig returning.” A big set of tests this week that will include either Pius or Gretna East on Friday night. Last ranking: 3. 

3 - Lincoln Southwest (2-0): We opt to disagree with our Class A Coaches Poll just a bit here, giving the Silverhawks the slight edge over North Star. Two big wins to open the season with a new punch from KayTee Irons. Last ranking: 5. 

4 - Millard North (1-1): Solid nucleus back from last year’s state qualifying and Metro conference final team. Bounced back from an opening loss to Millard West with a 52-39 win over No. 16 Bellevue West. Last ranking: 7.

5 - Lincoln North Star (1-0): A gritty win over Lincoln Southeast to start the year. Millard North on Saturday to see if we did this right, and we are easily willing to change. Will also have LSW on January 2nd. Last ranking: 6.

6 - Lincoln Pius X (2-0): Building a schedule after dropping to Class B may have been the most difficult test for coach Ryan Psota. Plenty of talent surrounding standout junior Ava Markowski. Last ranking: 13. 

7 - Gretna East (2-0): Pius and the Griffins are the clear front runners to test Skutt in Class B, and they get to put it on the line this weekend in their Crossover Tournament. East will play Pius on Thursday night. Skutt has Gretna, then the winners face off on Friday. Last ranking: 14.

8 – Millard South (2-0): Get ready for the young Patriots. They play three freshmen. Seems like it’s the new thing to do. Picked up a big win against Papio South on Tuesday. Last ranking: NR. 

9 - Lincoln Christian (2-0): After a dominant 25-2 season last year and a Class C-1 state title, coach Steve Klein brings back his top four scorers. Seems like a decent place to start. Monster win over Seward on Tuesday. Last ranking: 10. 

10 – Omaha Westside (1-0): A nice 80-69 win over Bellevue East to open the season and the Warriors could be the favorites on the Class A side of the Crossover Tournament with Bellevue West, Papillion-LaVista and Lincoln East, meaning a great matchup for Saturday. Last ranking: NR.

11 – Omaha Marian (2-0): The Crusaders had a nice nucleus return from a 16-8 team in 2024 and new freshman Alivia Kuhn scored 33 in her debut, a 67-58 win over Papillion-LaVista. Last ranking: NR.

12 - Papillion-LaVista South (1-1): After surprising some last year, the Titans likely won’t do the same in 2024-25. Opened the season with a 62-37 win over Class B Norris but need to get fully healthy. Lincoln Southwest comes calling on Friday night. Last ranking: 9. 

13 – Bennington (2-0): The jury might still be out on a young Badger team, but the reports are usually glowing. The tests start on Friday with Elkhorn North and then Gretna East next week. Last ranking: NR. 

14 – Kearney (3-0): New coach Drew Danielson started off his Buffalo County tenure with wins on the road against Elkhorn South and Lincoln East coupled with a nice home-opening win over Lincoln Southeast on Tuesday. Last ranking: NR.

15 – Bellevue East (0-1): After the opening loss, it gets no easier for the Chieftains. In order, starting on Saturday: Omaha Marian, Millard West and Millard South before Christmas. Last ranking: NR. 

16 – Bellevue West (0-1): Coach Dane Bacon has to replace a bunch from last year’s state runner-up team. Some wins this weekend would give us a good grade on the Lady T-Birds. Last ranking: 2. 

17 - Minden (3-0): The Whippets are talented and off two straight volleyball titles in Class C-1. Could basketball be next? They’ll get plenty of good tests is a rugged Southwest Conference. They might have to win them all to stay here. Last ranking: NR.

18 - Pender (3-0): Two straight titles – Class C-2 (’23) and Class D-1 (’24) – for coach Jason Dolliver and the Pendragons. The recipe to stay in the top 20? Win big. Three big pre-Christmas tests in the next 10 days. Last ranking: 18.

19 - Crofton (3-0): Coming off a disappointing loss in the Class C-2 state title game last year, the Warriors have started the season by scoring 86 points twice before beating Class C-1, No. 10 Boone Central 56-40 on Tuesday. Last ranking: NR. 

20 – Waverly (3-0): The Vikings lost two key seniors but can build around their two leading scorers from last year – Annie Harms and Parker Christensen. Already a win over Norris and they get York on Thursday. Last ranking: NR. 

Special Mention (listed alphabetically by class): Lincoln Southeast (0-2), Omaha Central (1-1), Omaha Westview (2-0), Beatrice (2-0), Elkhorn North (2-0), Scottsbluff (2-0), Milford (2-0), Scotus Central Catholic (3-0), GACC (2-1), Oakland-Craig (3-0), Elm Creek (3-0), Superior (1-0).

Team of the Week: SCHUYLER. Wins have been hard to come by over the years in Schuyler. Basketball is just on the top of families minds in this blue-collar town.

But coach Jason Wehner has tried to build it from the ground up. This is real coaching, no assembling a group of all-stars. PE class. Elementary fundamentals. Junior high basketball. Last weekend, Schuyler went 2-0 — first time in 25 years. No one is going to rank them. They likely won’t make the state tournament. Heck, they lost to David City 35-12 on Tuesday night, but they are making progress. And, learning life lessons along the way. Adding a few more wins? That’s just icing on the cake.

The Coaches Poll

Each week over on nebpreps.com, we’ll handle compiling the girls basketball coaches poll and the awesome Mike Sautter will lead the boys poll. The boys ratings will drop on Sunday night and the girls ratings on Monday night or first thing Tuesday morning. You can catch the first in-season polls right here. Boys | Girls

What does Mike think we have on tap for a wide open Class A boys field in 2024-25? This should help you get a good idea.

Season of Giving

We leave you with two things as we near Christmas and understand how fortunate we are to get to do everything it is we do in life. Great thing, No. 1. St. Jude. The Newsletter’s family (mom + Liv) got to experience the St. Jude Children’s Marathon last weekend in Memphis. Go do life changing things with your family. If you’d like to donate a link here.

Also, my favorite basketball team tradition is this one right here. Sometimes, it’s not about practicing on a Monday, but giving back. Does your team do similar? Hit me up on Twitter, I’d love to know what you do.