OMAHA – In a season in which there have been few surprises in Class A, Millard North provided one in the first night of the postseason.
Millard North got hot early and then held on to take a 25-20, 25-14, 25-27, 23-25, 15-12 victory over Millard West in the Class A-6 district championship. The Mustangs closed out the match on a 4-1 run after the fifth set was tied at 11-11.
With each of the top five seeds (Omaha Marian, North Platte, Papillion-LaVista, Papillion-LaVista South and Lincoln Southwest) having won their respective district titles, Millard West was able to secure the wild card and qualify for the state tournament.
In an upset according to seeding, Lincoln Southeast defeated Lincoln North Star 3-1 in the A-7 final. Lincoln North Star’s opportunity to snag the wild card went away when Millard North held on to beat Millard West.
A few notes from around the state tonight:
Omaha Marian cruised to the A-1 title and had actually secured the top seed at state regardless of the outcome of tonight’s district play. The Crusaders will take a 34-match winning steak with them into state as they look for their third straight Class A title.
North Platte’s winning streak is at 13 as the Bulldogs captured the A-2 title without dropping a set. North Platte hasn’t lost a single set during its winning streak and the Bulldogs last lost against Omaha Marian in the Lincoln Northeast Invite.
Papillion-LaVista had no problems winning the A-3 title. The Monarchs are 0-7 this year against Omaha Marian and North Platte and 33-0 against everyone else.
Also in A-3, Millard South’s dramatic 23-25, 20-25, 25-19, 25-20, 17-15 win over Lincoln Pius X in the semifinals snapped the Thunderbolts’ streak of consecutive state tournament appearances at 20. The means Pius X’s streak of 20 will leave it tied with Bellevue West (1987-2006) for the state record for most consecutive appearances.
Omaha Marian now has the longest active streak of consecutive years reaching the state tournament with this year being its 15th. Grand Island Northwest, if it wins it substate match Saturday, also can extend its active streak to 15 this year.
Papillion-LaVista and Omaha Marian have each qualified for state 30 times now – which is the most in the state. Columbus Scotus – if it wins its district final Thursday night – can also make its 30th trip this year.
North Platte is making its second straight trip to state and 18th overall.
Papillion-LaVista South is making its second straight trip to state and seventh overall.
Lincoln Southwest is making its 11th trip to state after not qualifying last year.
Lincoln Southeast is making its fourth straight trip to state and ninth overall.
Millard West is making its fifth straight trip to state and seventh overall.
Millard North is making its 20th trip to state overall after not qualifying last year.
UNOFFICIAL CLASS A STATE PAIRINGS
Thursday, Nov. 12 at Pinnacle Bank Arena
1:30 p.m. – #1 Omaha Marian (38-3) vs. #8 Millard North (21-16)
3:30 p.m. – #4 Papillion-LaVista South (34-6) vs. #5 Lincoln Southwest (24-9)
5:30 p.m. – #2 North Platte (35-3) vs. #7 Lincoln Southeast (22-14)
7:30 p.m. – #3 Papillion-LaVista (33-7) vs. #6 Millard West (22-12)
DISTRICT TOURNAMENT RESULTS
A-1 at Omaha Marian
Omaha Marian def. Omaha Benson, 25-5, 25-8, 25-6
Lincoln East def. Grand Island, 10-25, 25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 16-14
Omaha Marian def. Lincoln East, 25-13, 25-15, 25-11
A-2 at North Platte
North Platte def. Lincoln High, 25-7, 25-5, 25-5
Omaha Westside def. Omaha Central, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-12
North Platte def. Omaha Westside, 25-10, 25-13, 25-16
A-3 at Papillion-LaVista
Papillion-LaVista def. Norfolk, 25-14, 25-17, 25-9
Millard South def. Lincoln Pius X, 23-25, 20-25, 25-19, 25-20, 17-15
Papillion-LaVista def. Millard South, 25-8, 25-17, 25-11
A-4 at Papillion-LaVista South
Papillion-LaVista South def. Omaha Burke, 25-17, 25-11, 25-12
South Sioux City def. Omaha Northwest, 25-23, 25-17, 25-9
Papillion-LaVista South def. South Sioux City, 25-15, 25-15, 25-9
A-5 at Lincoln Southwest
Lincoln Southwest def. Fremont, 25-9, 25-11, 25-5
Bellevue West def. Lincoln Northeast, 25-11, 25-16, 25-13
Lincoln Southwest def. Bellevue West, 25-20, 24-26, 25-16, 25-22
A-6 at Millard West
Millard West def. Omaha South, 25-10, 25-9, 25-10
Millard North def. Kearney, 25-18, 25-13, 25-15
Millard North def. Millard West, 25-20, 25-14, 25-27, 23-25, 15-12
A-7 at Lincoln North Star
Lincoln North Star def. Bellevue East, 25-16, 25-9, 25-7
Lincoln Southeast def. Omaha North, 25-8, 25-19, 25-14
Lincoln Southeast def. Lincoln North Star, 25-19, 25-22, 8-25, 25-15
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