(Records through Saturday)
Class A (Record) | Pvs.
1. Creighton Prep (18-1) | 1
2. Lincoln East (18-1) | 2
3. Omaha Central (17-4) | 3
4. Bellevue West (14-5) | 4
5. Millard South (14-3) | 5
6. Omaha Bryan (14-4) | 6
7. Lincoln Pius X (11-7) | 8
8. Kearney (14-6) | 9
9. Lincoln Southwest (12-7) | 10
10. Grand Island (14-7) | -
Contenders: Millard North, Omaha Burke, Lincoln North Star, Lincoln High, Papillion-La Vista.
Comments: Omaha Burke exits following a loss to new No. 10 Grand Island, its fifth setback in eight games. The Islanders also beat Millard North over the weekend to further solidify their top 10 ranking. Southwest’s difficult schedule continues when it hosts No. 2 Lincoln East on Friday and then plays at No. 7 Pius X on Saturday.
Key games: Tuesday—North Star at Papillion-La Vista South; Friday—Bellevue West at Creighton Prep, Lincoln East at Lincoln Southwest, Omaha Central at Millard South, Fremont at Lincoln Pius X, Grand Island at Norfolk, Bellevue East at Lincoln High; Saturday—Creighton Prep at Rockhurst, Mo., Elkhorn South at Bellevue West, Norfolk at Millard South, Lincoln Southwest at Lincoln Pius X, Omaha Bryan at Lincoln High.
Class B (Record) | Pvs.
1. Aurora (17-2) | 1
2. York (18-1) | 2
3. Platteview (18-2) | 3
4. Omaha Skutt (16-3) | 4
5. Bennington (16-3) | 5
6. Omaha Roncalli (15-3) | 6
7. Norris (13-7) | 7
8. Gretna (14-3) | 8
9. Elkhorn South (9-10) | 9
10. Crete (15-6) | -
Contenders: Scottsbluff, Blair, Seward, Columbus.
Comments: A win over last week’s No. 10, Blair, combined with a conquest over Seward in the Central Conference tournament two weeks ago lands Crete in the top 10. Elkhorn South is not affected by losses to A No. 3 Omaha Central and A No. 8 Kearney. A lot of rated teams matching up against each other this week could cause some major changes in the next rankings.
Key games: Tuesday—Blair at Gretna, Bennington at Omaha Roncalli; Thursday—Omaha Skutt at Norris; Friday—Crete at Aurora, York at Seward, Blair at Columbus; Saturday—Heartland Hoops Classic, Grand Island (Aurora vs. Omaha Skutt, Platteview vs. Crete, York vs. Omaha South, Gretna vs. Ponca), Norris at Lincoln Christian, Omaha Roncalli at Omaha Concordia.
Class C-1 (Record) | Pvs.
1. Wahoo (17-2) | 2
2. O’Neill (17-1) | 1
3. Winnebago (16-3) | 3
4. Grand Island CC (15-5) | 4
5. Lincoln Christian (14-5)| 6
6. Omaha Concordia (12-6) | 5
7. Broken Bow (18-2) | 10
8. Logan View-SS (18-2) | 7
9. North Bend Central (16-3) | 8
10. Bishop Neumann (10-8) | 9
Contenders: Boys Town, Cozad, Adams Central, Milford, Lincoln Lutheran, Gordon-Rushville, Boone Central/Newman Grove.
Comments: O’Neill’s loss to C-2 No. 9 Battle Creek in the Mid-State Conference tournament and Christian’s win over Concordia explains the changes in the top six. GICC’s earlier wins over Christian and Concordia allow the Crusaders to stay where they’re at, despite a loss to Lexington. Broken Bow is rewarded for its win last week over Lexington. GICC’s tough schedule continues this week with games against C-2 No. 2 Hastings St. Cecilia and Winnebago.
Key games: Tuesday—Broken Bow at Ord, Concordia at Mount Michael; Thursday—Parkview Christian at Lincoln Christian, Hastings SC at Grand Island CC, Blair at Concordia; Friday—Ord at O’Neill, Cozad at Broken Bow, BRLD at Logan View-Scribner-Snyder, Bishop Neumann at Archbishop Bergan; Saturday—Heartland Hoops Classic (Winnebago vs. Grand Island Central Catholic, O’Neill vs. Hastings St. Cecilia), Bishop Neumann at Lourdes CC.
Class C-2 (Record) | Pvs.
1. Ponca (20-1) | 1
2. Hastings SC (16-3) | 2
3. Yutan (17-1) | 5
4. Arcadia-Loup City (18-1) | 6
5. Centennial (18-2) | 7
6. BRLD (18-2) | 3
7. Elmwood-Murdock (16-2) | 4
8. Freeman (16-5) | 8
9. Battle Creek (15-5) | -
10. South Loup (16-1) | -
Contenders: Lutheran Northeast, Oakland-Craig, Sutton, Ravenna, Hartington CC, Wisner-Pilger, Amherst, Archbishop Bergan, Dundy County-Stratton, Cambridge, Doniphan-Trumbull.
Comments: Yutan (East Central Nebraska), Arcadia-Loup City (Lou-Platte), Centennial (Southern Nebraska) and Battle Creek (Mid-State) are all rewarded for winning their respective conference tournaments. The ratings do not account for the Lewis & Clark title game Monday between Ponca and C-1 No. 3 Winnebago.
Key games: Tuesday—Wisner-Pilger at BRLD; Thursday—Freeman at Johnson-Brock, Elmwood-Murdock at Mead, Battle Creek at Hartington CC; Friday—Centennial at Aquinas; Saturday—Heartland Hoops Classic (South Loup vs. Yutan).
Class D-1 (Record) | Pvs.
1. Kenesaw (20-0) | 2
2. Heartland (16-1) | 1
3. West Holt (16-2) | 3
4. Osmond (16-2) | 4
5. Lourdes CC (12-7) | 9
6. Johnson-Brock (16-5) | 5
7. BDS (16-5) | 6
8. Paxton (16-1) | 7
9. Tri County (14-6) | 8
10. Fullerton (15-4) | 10
Contenders: Overton, Twin Loup, Deshler, Walthill, Arapahoe, Randolph.
Comments: Kenesaw moves into the top spot after winning the Twin Valley Conference tournament and becoming the lone undefeated team in the class after Centennial defeated Heartland in the Southern Nebraska Conference title game. Lourdes Central Catholic earns a four-spot promotion after a win over Johnson-Brock in the Pioneer Conference semifinals. West Holt won the Niobrara Valley Conference championship.
Key games: Tuesday—Paxton at Hershey, Heartland at Deshler; Thursday—Osmond at Winside; Friday—Blue Hill at Deshler, H-TR-S at Johnson-Brock, Lourdes CC at Boys Town.
Class D-2 (Rec.) | Pvs.
1. Falls City SH (19-1) | 1
2. Riverside (18-2) | 2
3. Giltner (15-4) | 3
4. Exeter-Milligan (16-5) | 4
5. Mead (7-10) | -
6. Parkview Christian (11-7) | 5
7. Humphrey SF (13-7) | 6
8. Mullen (15-5) | 7
9. Loomis (15-5) | 8
10. Winside (12-7) | -
Contenders: CWC, Wauneta-Palisade, Wynot, Wilcox-Hildreth.
Comments: Sacred Heart comes off its Pioneer Conference title with two tough out-of-state teams this week. The Irish host undefeated North Andrew (20-0), the top-ranked team in Missouri’s Class 1 rankings on Tuesday before travelling to Highland-Doniphan West on Thursday, the No. 2 team in Kansas 1A. Mead is 2-0 against D-2 competition this season after an impressive 17-point win over Parkview Christian. Winside beat last week’s No. 10, Wynot, by 22 in the Lewis & Clark Conference Tournament.
Key games: Tuesday—Boys Town at Parkview Christian, Humphrey SF at Aquinas, McCool Junction at Exeter-Milligan, North Andrew, Mo., at Falls City Sacred Heart; Thursday—Falls City SH at Highland-Doniphan West, KS.
