Gameday: Five Questions on Nebraska’s 2022 High School Season
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The high school season is finally here, and I’ve got some burning questions. Each fall season presents new mysteries for us to solve. Some of our questions won’t be answered until the championship trophies are handed out in early November,…
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Continue ReadingThe high school season is finally here, and I’ve got some burning questions.
Each fall season presents new mysteries for us to solve. Some of our questions won’t be answered until the championship trophies are handed out in early November, but that’s what makes this time of year so suspenseful.
So, to get you primed for opening day and beyond, here are five burning questions we hope to answer during Nebraska’s 2022 season.
Which senior stars will go out on top?
Nebraska’s Class of 2023 is packed with athletes who are well positioned to finish their careers with a championship.
I can’t help but think back to all of last year’s seniors who wrapped up their prep careers with a state title. Ava LeGrand and Harlei Cole accomplished that feat with Papio South after both were at the top of our 2022 rankings for a long time. The same can be said of Abby Schomers and Ava Heyne for Omaha Skutt Catholic. Other memorable senior champions from last fall include Oakland-Craig’s Bailey Helzer, Howells-Dodge’s Ellie Baumert, and Katelynn Oxley from Lincoln Lutheran.
There’s nothing better than seeing elite athletes go out with a win, and this fall will invariably give us those moments. Peruse our 2023 rankings and take your pick.
Which teams make the biggest jump?
Throughout our preseason previews, I’ve hinted at a few teams who are good candidates to show major improvement this fall. I’m keeping an eye on those teams while also recognizing that a few teams will likely emerge from the pack and take us by surprise.
Some of the teams that could be on the upswing were recently discussed in our Unfinished Business series. I’m looking out for teams like Papillion-La Vista and Omaha Westside to make a big surge in Class A. Duchesne and Elkhorn North are clear candidates to make a similar jump in Class B. Of course, keep tabs on the small-town teams, too. Norfolk Catholic in C2 and Diller-Odell in D2 are surefire candidates to improve on last year’s performance.
Will we see any in-season commitments?
We’re fresh off a big college commitment surge here in Nebraska.
In late spring and early summer, the Cornhusker State got several pledges from the 2023 and 2024 classes. Impactful seniors Karli Heidemann Karli Heidemann 6'1" | OH Diller-Odell | 2023 State #124 Nation NE (Montana State), Stella Adeyemi Stella Adeyemi 5'9" | OH Papillion-LaVista South | 2023 State #95 Nation NE (Hawaii), Grace Baumert Grace Baumert 6'2" | OH Howells-Dodge | 2023 State NE (Wayne State), and Skylar Walters Skylar Walters 5'9" | S Millard West | 2023 State NE (Minnesota State) were just a few of the athletes who got involved on the 2023 side.
Once we hit the June 15 recruitment date, the 2024s joined the action. Bennington’s Olivia Mauch Olivia Mauch 5'7" | DS/L Bennington | 2024 State #49 Nation NE gave her pledge to in-state Nebraska. We saw a trio of Premier 16 Gold athletes make their plans known, with the Papio South frontcourt duo of Lauren Medeck Lauren Medeck 5'10" | OH Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State #31 Nation NE and Morgan Bode Morgan Bode 6'1" | MB Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State NE sticking together with South Dakota and Gretna libero Faith Frame Faith Frame 5'6" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State #167 Nation NE going to Cincinnati.
Who’s next?
Who are this year’s high-impact underclassmen?
I’ll freely admit that the Class of 2026 is pretty much an unknown to me right now. We’ll change that soon enough.
Aside from the select few freshmen who will make their first entrance on the varsity stage, I’m also interested to get another look at the prep side of Nebraska’s 2025s. Not only are the returning sophomores looking to take a big step forward from their debut seasons, but we’ll have a wide expanse of new 2025s joining the varsity fold this fall.
That has big implications for our 2025 rankings, which just got a big refresh after the club season. Get ready for more updates!
Will any more teams make championship history?
There are few things more exciting than watching a school win the state’s big prize for the first time.
Oakland-Craig accomplished that exact feat last year in the Class C2 state championships. Other programs, like Howells-Dodge, ended the season with a championship trophy for the first time in many years.
Can we see any “new blood” on the podium again this November? Making predictions on these breakout winners is always tough, as you’re going off very little precedent and making a lot of under-the-radar picks. But, at the same time, that unpredictability is what makes the fall so exciting.
So let’s get it started.