Millard South enters the Nebraska state dual tournament as heavy favorite in Class A

Two of the 4 brackets on the Buffalo County Fairgrounds will lean closely in the direction of a defending champion — Millard South in Class A, David Metropolis Aquinas in Class D — that made it look simple a 12 months in the past. A 3rd subject has a well-recognized face again in a well-recognized place as Damaged Bow returns to the Class C tourney for the primary time since profitable back-to-back titles.

Underdogs could also be plentiful, however don’t inform Chris Curry about uphill battles.

“I preserve telling them, ‘we don’t need to win all 14 (matches),’” the Papillion-La Vista coach mentioned in regards to the message to his staff this week.

The Monarchs really had extra success than anybody in opposition to one of many weekend’s Goliaths. The 24 factors Papio scored in a loss to Millard South a bit over two weeks in the past had been three greater than the Patriots gave up in another twin this season, a season that features a victory over one other nationally ranked program.

Nonetheless, Millard South enters as possibly the heaviest of the favorites. House owners of the final three twin championships (and 6 of the final seven titles), the Patriots have discovered one other gear this season.

They’ve gained duals in opposition to fellow tourney qualifiers by a median of practically 25 factors. Included in which can be lopsided victories over second-seeded Lincoln East (46-21 in mid-January) and No. 3 Norfolk (39-21 within the season’s opening week).

The Patriots additionally took aside a Bennington bunch ranked No. 1 in Class B by Huskermat to the tune of 51-16 in late December.

So what’s going to it take for somebody to spring an upset of Nebraska’s premier program?

“It simply comes all the way down to quite a lot of bonus factors for us,” Curry mentioned. “We’d simply need to restrict their bonus factors. We’ve received to remain in these positions longer, and the place they’ve a few of their higher guys, we’ve received to battle. How lengthy are you able to battle?”

Curry’s bunch has had 9 duals in opposition to seven different qualifiers, together with two in opposition to third-ranked Norfolk. The Monarchs, ranked No. 4 by Huskermat, open with fifth-ranked North Platte within the 9 a.m. first spherical. A win would possible arrange that rematch with Millard South within the semifinals.

Damaged Bow dropped from Class B, the place the Indians completed fourth finally 12 months’s twin match. Head coach Ed Schaaf mentioned his staff may have its full lineup collectively this weekend, which might be the primary time because the vacation break.

“While you’re taking a look at duals, you’re all the time on the lookout for the place there are holes which you could exploit,” Schaaf mentioned. “You take a look at us, and we don’t have a lot of these holes. We’re fairly robust.”

Included in a 16-1 common season is a 43-34 win in late December over Aquinas. The lone loss for Schaaf and firm got here to Class B No. 5 Waverly.

“We’ve seen good twin groups,” Schaaf mentioned. “We’ve been examined.”

There might be a brand new Class C champion, even when it’s not the Indians. That’s as a result of back-to-back champion Aquinas has moved all the way down to Class D, the place they’ll be favored to win a 3rd straight twin crown.

The Monarchs outscored three opponents by a mixed 102 factors on the way in which to the {hardware} a 12 months in the past. And the three groups behind them in rankings didn’t qualify for this weekend’s festivities. Defending Class D champion Sutherland — ranked sixth coming into the weekend — may pose the most important risk to Aquinas.

Followers hoping for heroics and heartache aren’t completely out of luck, although, as a Class B match that got here down to 1 level a 12 months in the past in some way seems even nearer.

Qualifiers embrace six of the highest seven within the rankings, sufficient depth and top-end expertise to maintain the bracket fascinating, and a pair of high match-ups within the opening spherical.

Bennington, who beat Blair 33-32 in final 12 months’s last, opens in opposition to Schuyler. The highest-ranked Badgers would see the winner of No. 3 Blair and No. 7 Hastings within the semifinal. An opener between second-ranked Omaha Skutt and fifth-ranked Waverly seems to be the highest pairing within the 10:30 a.m. first spherical for Courses B and C.

All semifinals are slated for two p.m., with championship duals set for six:30 p.m.