Bridgeport, Ogallala Advance to C1-10 Final

Photo Courtesy: Donna Wiedeburg / Sidney Public Schools

OGALLALA - The Sidney Red Raiders faced a monumental challenge in the night’s opening semifinal of the Boys C1-10 Sub-District Tournament, taking on top-ranked and undefeated Ogallala Indians Tuesday at Prairie View School in Ogallala.

Ogallala, the No. 1 seed and the top team in the Class C-1 ratings, had already defeated Sidney earlier this season 74-48 on January 26, and once again proved why it entered the postseason unbeaten.

Sidney kept pace early behind a strong start from Keian Kaiser, who scored seven first-quarter points. However, Sawyer Smith and Tanner DeCastro combined for 13 points to give Ogallala a 20-15 lead after one quarter.

Kaiser continued his strong play in the second quarter, adding nine more points as the Red Raiders trimmed the deficit to 38-31 at halftime.

Ogallala’s defensive pressure took control after intermission. The Indians outscored Sidney 22-12 in the third quarter and 23-9 in the fourth, pulling away for an 83-52 win.

Sidney finished the season at 11-14, while Ogallala improved to 23-0 and advanced to Thursday’s sub-district championship game.

Kaiser led Sidney Red Raiders with 19 points, and Kash Knobbe added 11. Ogallala placed four players in double figures, led by Smith with 28 points. Rylan Gilmore scored 19, Edan Cain added 12, and DeCastro finished with 11.

The second semifinal featured a back-and-forth battle between Bridgeport Bulldogs and Chase County Longhorns. Bridgeport had defeated Chase County twice in December, but this meeting proved far more competitive.

Bridgeport held a slim 14-13 advantage after the opening quarter before Chase County rallied behind five second-quarter points from James Bomba to take a 27-24 lead at halftime.

Gage Nein scored nine points in the third quarter to help Bridgeport regain the lead at 40-37 entering the final period.

The fourth quarter belonged to Bridgeport junior Hayes Watts, who scored eight points in the frame, including the final six points of the game. Watts broke a 48-48 tie late as the Bulldogs survived for a 54-50 victory.

Bridgeport improved to 22-4, while Chase County’s season came to an end at 12-13.

Nein led the Bulldogs with 21 points, Watts finished with 15, and Landon Dean chipped in 13. Zak Anderson paced the Longhorns with 21 points, and Lukas Fries added 12.

Bridgeport (22-4) will face Ogallala (23-0) in the C1-10 Sub-District Championship Game on Thursday at Prairie View School in Ogallala. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

The game can be heard live on 98.7 FM The Big Boy, online at thebigboy987.com, or on the News Channel Nebraska app.