Every winter season, Nebraska high school basketball players, wrestlers and swimmers take a five-day break from official practices and games during the holiday season.
The NSAA Moratorium started Sunday and continues through Thursday, encompassing Christmas Day on Wednesday. On Friday, though, the athletes and coaches of the Arlington Eagles, Blair Bears and Fort Calhoun Pioneers are allowed to get back to work in an official capacity.
The Blair reserve boys basketball team gets right into it Friday, facing the Omaha North Freshman Invite's slate of opponents. The Bears start the two-day tourney with Omaha Roncalli at 3:30 p.m.
Then, on Saturday, four of Washington County's winter season varsity teams get back to action after Friday practices. The FCHS girls wrestling team is set to attend a Tekamah-Herman tournament at 10 a.m. before the Pioneers' girls basketball team competes at 1 (junior varsity) and 2:30 p.m. (varsity) on its home floor against Ralston.
It's possible that BHS will continue Eastern Midlands Conference basketball tournament competition Saturday, too. The Bears' possible game times, locations and opposition is dependent on their performances during the first two rounds of play from last weekend. Check out this coming Friday's Washington County Enterprise for schedule updates.
The Blair girls wrestling team, meanwhile, gets back on the mat for competition Dec. 30. It'll wrestle at the Conestoga Invitational before the boys team starts the second-half of its schedule Jan. 2 at an Underwood, Iowa, triangular.
The Fort Calhoun boys next wrestle Dec. 31 during an Omaha Creighton Prep tournament. Competition starts at 9 a.m. before the Pioneers' basketball teams open 2025 with holiday tournament play Jan. 3 at Howells-Dodge.
Arlington's basketball teams still have games left to play in 2024, though. The Eagles attend the Lincoln Lutheran holiday tournament, starting Dec. 30 with games against Platteview at 1 (girls) and 2:30 p.m. (boys).
On Jan. 3, the AHS girls wrestling team competes at a Blair quadrangular with Fort Calhoun and Logan View. The Eagles boys, however, don't wrestle again until an Oakland-Craig triangular on Jan. 9.
Arlington and Blair swimmers, meanwhile, open 2025 competition in the pool with Fremont on Jan. 7. The Tigers host the Omaha Westside Warriors at 4:30 p.m.
