The Fort Calhoun boys basketball team belongs.
The eighth-seeded Pioneers (21-5 overall) — making their first state trip since 1923 — didn't shy away from top-seeded Wahoo (23-3) — making its 40th state appearance — Tuesday, upsetting the Warriors 54-52 during the first round of the Class C1 state tournament in Lincoln.
FCHS junior Austin Welchert made the game-winning 3-pointer with 7 seconds to go at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, propelling the Pioneers into the C1 semifinals.
“I'm still in shock right now,” Welchert said outside the locker room after the game.
His team's next state contest is 9 a.m. Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena against Auburn — the 3-time defending champs.
“We just get to enjoy the ride a little bit more,” said Calhoun coach TJ O'Connor.
His Pioneers were in the game from the start, taking a 15-11 lead into the second period after sophomore Grayson Bouwman hit his second 3-pointer of the opening quarter.
Wahoo recaptured the lead going into the next two breaks, however. The Warriors led 23-22 at halftime and 39-38 going into the final period.
That fourth quarter then started with Welchert's second 3 of the ballgame. FCHS led 41-39 momentarily, but fell behind by 3 later on a long-range make by Wahoo's De'Andre Nelson.
Bouwman and Zane Schwarz scored back-to-back baskets, though, continuing the back-and-forth nature of the period. The Pioneers' advantage reached five, 49-44, on Owen Newbold's free throw with 2:04 to go, but it wasn't enough to hold off the Warriors.
Coach Kevin Scheef's team battled back, taking a 52-51 lead on an Owen Hancock 3-pointer with less than a minute left.
FCHS responded in the final seconds with Bouwman driving to the basket. His attempt missed, but the Pioneers wound up with the ball. Welchert helped tip it out to a teammate and relocated back out behind the 3-point-line.
O'Connor's team passed the basketball along outside the arc with Newbold tallying the assist to the hero, Welchert, who sank the game-winner.
Wahoo took a timeout to set up the final play, but it lost the ball before getting up an attempt to tie or win the game.
Bouwman led FCHS with 20 points, while Schwarz scored 14 and Welchert had 11. Hancock had 17 points for the Warriors.
For the full story from Lincoln and additional photos, check out Friday's edition of the Washington County Enterprise newspaper. State basketball coverage can be found online all week at enterprisepub.com/sports.
