The Playoff Primer

best read with a good game plan

🏈🚗 An Epic “Preview” Trip

Each week will take a trip around the state and highlight some big games that you may or may not have seen. It’s an “Epic Trip” powered by EPIC Team Camps. And, that trip is back tomorrow. But, today we preview each class of the NSAA Football Playoffs.

ALL THE BRACKETS: Class A | Class B | Class C-1 | Class C-2 | Class D-1 | Class D-2 | Six-Man

CLASS A: Not sure how much we really need to type about this class, if we are being honest. Millard South may be the most dominant team in state history. They have allowed 10 points to Nebraska competition in seven games this season. The “loss” a 42-7 win over Arbor View, Nevada that was forfeited for using ineligible players. The bummer is that forfeit now creates a semifinal — not final — against Omaha Westside.

The Champ: Millard South. Finals opponent: Papio South. Sleeper: Omaha North.

CLASS B: As clear as Class A seems to be, you might need an 8 or 9-sided dice to figure who is going to win Class B. A year of great parity; the top-seed Waverly (the only unbeaten) has a 2-point win over Bennington and a 3-point win over Norris. With chasers Gretna East, Bennington, Elkhorn North, Norris and Omaha Skutt. It’s just gonna be AWESOME.

The Champ: Elkhorn North. Finals opponent: Norris. Sleeper: Omaha Skutt.

CLASS C-1: And, we are back for the prohibitive favorite. Look, defending champion Wahoo is really, really good. So good, in fact, that most observers last year — when they won Class C-1 — pointed to this season as the one. Running back Kip Brigham is on a tear and the Warriors ran the clock on every team they faced including five PLAYOFF opponents.

The Champ: Wahoo. Finals opponent: Columbus Lakeview. Sleeper: Aurora.

CLASS C-2: As wide open as Class B, if not more. Top-seeded Cedar Catholic has wins over four playoff teams, but one of those is a 21-20 notch over fifth-seeded Archbishop Bergan. Maybe the most intriguing game of the 56 games on Friday is Ord traveling to Doniphan-Trumbull for a date with the Cards. D-T receiver Jack Poppe is the all-time catch leader in the class and the perennial power Chants have rattled off six straight since an 0-3 start.

The Champ: Cedar Catholic. Finals opponent: Bishop Neumann. Sleeper: Ord.

CLASS D-1: One round in, the cream has risen to the top with defending champion Sandy Creek joining Shelby-Rising City and Dundy County Stratton as title contenders. Could 2023 champion and 2024 finalist Stanton (now 4-5) keep the dream alive after topping unbeaten Ravenna last week out west in Hemingford?

The Champ: Sandy Creek. Finals opponent: Shelby-Rising City. Sleeper: Crofton.

CLASS D-2: All seems right in the world when Howells-Dodge, Archangels Catholic, Wynot and Central Valley are fighting for a football state championship. Central Valley — you should see how young that roster is for the defending champions — has to get through Archangels and Wynot for a shot at the title. And, H-D? The top-seed could have a date with Lawrence-Nelson in the quarterfinals after beating them 28-24 on opening night.

The Champ: Howells-Dodge. Finals opponent: Central Valley. Sleeper: Hitchcock County (can a 3-seed be a sleeper?).

CLASS D-6: Seriously, folks. This is gonna be FUN. Any of the top-four seeds can win it. And, we sure hope they meet in the semifinals. Garden County will run you over. Stuart has the defending champion pedigree. Southwest quarterback Houston Billeter can spin it. And, Red Cloud’s Gage Ely might be one of the best all-around players in the class. The one loss between them is Stuart’s 28-14 set back to Garden County.

The Champ: Stuart. Finals opponent: Southwest. Sleeper: Sumner-Eddyville-Miller. Related, please don’t yell at us for ROOTING FOR OUR HOME TEAM.

12 years. Seven states. Over 15,000 miles, 16,000 shirts, 1,000 teams and 125 camps. EPIC Football Camps are ready to make your team better in the summer. In the 12 years since they founded, Nebraskan’s Scott Trimble and Jeremy Epp’s camps have produced 18 state champions and 28 more finalists.

🏐🏐 Volleyball Before Blackout

If State Finals Saturday is the best high school volleyball day in our state, District Final Saturday is surely next. 39 games, down from 40 last year, across the state to determine the final 39 state qualifiers this year (we’ll add one wild card in Class B).

In each of the classes from C-1 to D-2, 10 sub-district champions were crowned earlier this week. Those 10 champions along with the next six best teams in the wild card point averages were seeded 1-16 and paired for their district final game. The winners on Saturday will qualify for next week’s state tournament and be re-seeded 1-8 after games played this weekend. Class C and D District Final Pairings

Class B made a change this year to district play in softball, volleyball and basketball. Seven districts — no more sub-district play — in a serpentine format based on the wild card point averages. Those 14 teams left are in district finals tomorrow as well, with one wild card now advancing to state. It’s the same format as Class A uses.

The Class A field is set after district final games were played on Wednesday. The top seed in each district advanced to state. Those teams include: Papillion-LaVista South, Millard South, Lincoln North Star, Lincoln Southwest, Elkhorn South, Omaha Marian and Omaha Westside. It appears the wild card to state will be Lincoln Southeast. Official pairings will be released at the completion of Saturday’s games.

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🗓🗓 Recap Season

GIRLS GOLF: Your girls golf state champions were Omaha Marian (Class A), Omaha Duchesne (Class B) and Minden (Class C). Individual champions were Molly Goc (Columbus; Class A), Julia Messere (Aurora; Class B) and Kaylynn Jorgensen (Minden; Class C). FULL RECAP

SOFTBALL: Three fantastic games capped the 2025 NSAA State Softball tournament on Monday, October 20. Playing at Nebraska’s Bowlin Stadium for the first time, Hastings St. Cecilia (Class C) and Grand Island Northwest (Class B) won in walk off fashion. It was HSC’s first state softball and Northwest’s third in four seasons. In the Class A final, Lincoln Southwest held off Millard North, 4-2. FULL FINALS RECAP

BOYS TENNIS: Hunter Nelson? All-timer. The Lincoln East senior capped a 139-0 career at the Class A state meet and the Spartans were again team champions winning three of four brackets. In Class B, Elkhorn Mt. Michael could breath easy after a second straight title. FULL RECAP

CROSS COUNTRY: Cool and cloudy temperatures led to historic girls runs at the state cross country championships last Friday. Crofton’s Avery Arens (Class D) and Omaha Duchesne’s CeCe Cramper (Class B) both broke the previous all-class course record. Arens’ 17:28.53 set the new course record. On the boys side, Lincoln Pius had a dominating performance to win Class B, while Creighton Prep upset their way to the Class A title. FULL RECAP

📸📸 Fall Championship Pics

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