There was a big game Friday night at Arlington High School.
Eagles basketball senior Libby Hegemann recognized that well before the Class C1-7 District Final's opening tip.
“I walked out of the locker room to go fill my water bottle and I saw everyone lined up to the parking lot,” she said after AHS' history-making, 56-45 win against Central City. “That's when I realized we were going to have a big support system tonight.”
With the 11-point victory, the Eagles (21-4 overall) clinched their first state qualification since 2001 and just their third in school history. They next play third-seeded Milford (23-1) on Wednesday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. The C1 matchup tips off at 3:15 p.m.
Senior Britt Nielsen was the first player to latch onto the district championship plaque after last Friday's game. She scored a team-high 31 points against the Bison as Arlington sought redemption after last season's district finals loss at Adams Central
“Wow,” the forward said after cutting down the nets, laughing through a big smile. “The senior class just kind of said, 'We don't want to end it here. We don't want to cry here.'”
Nielsen said the Eagles instead want to cry in Lincoln. Whether they win it all or fall just short, AHS was first determined to snap their school's 20-plus year state drought first.
“We put in the work,” junior point guard Emme Timm said. “We knew where we wanted to get and we got there.”
“I'm feeling pretty grateful right now,” Hegemann added. “To be back and be able to go to the first state tournament in 25 years is crazy. It's awesome.”
Senior Hailey O'Daniel had to come back down to reality during the postgame celebration, too.
“To be able to be the team that does that is so surreal,” she said. “In my senior year, that's amazing.”
After it's season-ending loss a year ago, Arlington coach Tashia Wolf explained how she wanted her daughter, junior Macy Wolf, and team to experience what she did when she was a kid by reaching the state tournament.
“That's all I ever wanted,” she said Friday, having accomplished the feat.
Win No. 21
As noted, Friday's C1-7 District Final drew a capacity crowd.
The AHS gymnasium was packed for the celebration, the game and even for the start of the 20-minute warmup before it all. The Eagles’ side of the bleachers was full at least 40 minutes before game time.
“They kept saying, ‘We’re opening doors at 6,’” Coach Wolf said. “And people were like, ‘Do I really need to show up at that time?’”
They did, but also got their money's worth once the matchup between Arlington and Central City tipped off. The Eagles produced a 14-9 lead through 8 minutes with Nielsen scoring all 14 of the home squad's points. She drove successfully to the basket, hit a pull-up jump shot, knocked down free throws and then sank a 3-point bucket at 11-9.
The senior — who set the school record for points in season during the game — also finished a traditional three-point play, scoring through a Bison foul and knocking down the free throw after it.
“I knew in order to keep us in the game, I had to keep myself composed,” Nielsen said.
It's what Wolf expected.
“Britt has matured into the most amazing basketball player and leader for this team,” the coach said. “She wills everyone into being a better player.”
The forward watches game film attentively, recognizing the tendencies of her opposition and creating an advantage when she gets onto the floor.
“She knew what she had do tonight in order for the team to win,” Wolf said. “She was willing to put that on her shoulders.”
It wasn't going to be enough to do it alone, though. While Arlington led 20-17 at halftime, it fell behind briefly during the third period, 21-20.
Nielsen scored six-straight points in response, but it was Timm's scoop and score that put the Eagles ahead 28-21.
“Second half had to be our half,” the junior point guard said. “Just to see it flow and to see the ball go in the hoop, it was just so relieving to know that we were going to do this.”
Ahead 31-26 after another Nielsen 3-pointer, Macy Wolf took on some of the offensive load.
“We were getting pretty close and I felt like we kind of needed a little bit of a momentum shift,” the junior daughter of the coach said. “My mom, she screamed from the side, 'Come on Mace! Let's go Mace. Let's go!'”
No. 4 took a dribble or two up to the 3-point line from there and let one fly.
“So, I just launched it, honestly,” Wolf said. “I was just praying for the best.”
The shot from beyond the arc reached the bottom of the net and the Eagles started to simmer offensively. The junior added 11 more points from there, finishing with 15, as the home team built upon its lead and, ultimately, celebrated in the end.
“I think that really just shifted the whole rest of the game,” Wolf said. “My teammates came down and made some really big plays after it, too. That really helped us seal the deal.”
How they did it
It's been 12 months since the disappointment of last season's district finals loss.
Arlington turned the shortcoming into a spot amongst the elite eight of Class C1 this year.
“They were motivated. They wanted it from the get-go,” Coach Wolf said. “They didn’t want it to end like it did last year. They had that goal to just push through.”
Timm knew the answer when asked how the Eagles came through on their mission to break into the state tourney field.
“Experience,” she said. “We were young last year. We hadn't seen that kind of atmosphere.”
This time, her team knew what to expect with the stakes so high. They were able to focus and settled in against Central City.
“Just thinking back to what we've experienced really helped us,” Timm said.
Arlington did it together with a packed gym behind them.
“This group of girls is amazing,” O'Daniel said of her Eagles. “It makes basketball so fun — just all of the laughs.”
Now, AHS is laughing its way to Lincoln.
CLASS C1-7 DISTRICT FINAL
Friday
Arlington 56, Central City 45
CC (23-4) 9 8 11 17 — 45
AHS (21-4) 14 6 17 19 — 56
Scoring: AHS — Britt Nielsen 31, Macy Wolf 15, Emme Timm 9, Gracen Adams 1.
CC — Journi Schindler 12, Reagan Fousek 11, Hope Paup 8, Sydni Homolka 7, Ava Call 5, Emma Steinke 2.
