Nebraska recruit Britt Prince, McKenna Murphy and the Elkhorn North Wolves are at the top of Class B right now.
On Saturday during the Class B-2 District Final, Blair girls basketball coach Matt Aschoff put a team on the floor he believes could be there in the future.
“I told them yesterday at the gym,” he said, recalling Friday's practice. “I said, 'This is my true belief. If we stay together, you guys can do some great things as we move forward.'”
Top-ranked, 22-1 Elkhorn North beat the long-shot, underdog Bears on Saturday, 73-45, advancing onto the state tournament to defend its championship. The Wolves, however, weren't able to substitute out their starters until just 1:13 was left during the fourth period.
After a 41-19 first half, BHS kept pace with coach Ann Prince's team during the second half with freshmen Kaitlynn O'Neil, Laynie Brown and Gueryn Kay leading the charge offensively. O'Neil — who scored three second-period buckets, cutting a 21-point deficit to 16 at one point — finished with a team-high 15 points, while both Brown and Kay notched eight apiece.
“I loved how Claire Anderson, and Kaitlynn O'Neil and Laynie Brown matched up with Murphy and Prince and fought,” Aschoff said, naming the Wolves duo that combined for 55 points during the district final. “They worked their butts off.”
The Bears' effort paid off, too, as midway through the fourth quarter — at the 62-42 mark — they'd outscored a full-strength Elkhorn North lineup 23-21 during the second half. They eventually lost by 28 points, but Aschoff gave his players the credit he felt they'd earned against one of the state's best teams, regardless of classification.
“We can give them the best scouting report, but when they get on the floor it's up to them,” he said. “And we are so proud of them.”
Altogether, the Blair basketball season closed Saturday with its girls team finishing up 11-13 overall. The Bears started 6-1, struggled through a 2-9 stretch and finished 4-3 across its last seven contests. All but one of their losses came to teams with a winning record and the one was against 11-11 Wahoo.
“I thought we got better as the season progressed,” Aschoff said. “We battled through some injuries and sickness and all that, but I thought some of our younger players really improved and got more confidence.”
While four seniors will graduate from the BHS roster this spring, district final starters Addie Sullivan, O'Neil and Taytum Macholan have eligibility remaining. So, too, do Brown, Kay and seven others who logged time Saturday.
“The key is kids have got to stay healthy and stay out (for basketball),” Aschoff said. “These are all great athletes. They play multiple sports and, so, as one of the head coaches, we've got to figure out a way to not burn these kids out.”
Seniors Leah Chance, Joslyn Policky, Marin Sather and Sophia Wrich stuck with hoops despite success in other sports, though both Wrich and Sather watched the last game from the bench in street clothes due to injury and their rehabilitation from those injuries. Chance and Policky, meanwhile, were on the floor for the opening tip after years of contributions.
“They're amazing kids,” Aschoff said. “Amazing kids. We love them as basketball players, but we love them more as humans.”
CLASS B-2 DISTRICT FINAL
Saturday
Elkhorn North 73, Blair 45
BHS (11-13) 9 10 12 14 — 45
EN (22-1) 27 14 18 14 — 73
Scoring: BHS — Kaitlynn O'Neil 15, Laynie Brown 8, Gueryn Kay 8, Addie Sullivan 7, Joslyn Policky 4, Taytum Macholan 2, Jacy Schueth 1.
EN — Britt Prince 30, McKenna Murphy 25, Addy Bratt 12, Kaitlyn Huff 4, Kelsey Daubert 2.
