Nebraska Teams Looking for Breakout Tourney Appearances (Pt. 1)

We're always here for the underdogs.   Every Nebraska high school season brings about at least one breakout postseason contender. Schools have recently snapped long tournament droughts and returned their names to the record books. It'll probably happen again this fall, and we already have a few squads in mind.   Today's feature hones in on a handful of teams looking to make their long-awaited postseason breakthrough. Class A, B, and C1 are in the spotlight for this one.     Millard North   Current record: 9-7   Last tournament appearance: 2019   The Mustangs have been looking for a Class A tournament spot since that wild 2019 postseason. We've covered Millard North's incredible potential this year, translating to the No. 7 spot in the current wildcard standings.   Upperclassman outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id='173518' first='Rilyn' last='Gish'] and [player_tooltip player_id='518581' first='Taylor' last='Elsasser'] are still leading the scoring department. Millard North's ball control unit remains a huge bright spot and is anchored by senior libero [player_tooltip player_id='155040' first='Kenzie' last='Kucks']. The Lipscomb commit ranks among Class A's best with 5.1 digs per set. She is accompanied by veteran setter [player_tooltip player_id='173528' first='Brylee' last='Nelsen'], who has taken full command of the offense in a 5-1 system.   Big-time matches remain on Millard North's schedule. Watch for the mid-October bouts with Elkhorn South and Millard West to close the regular season.     Gering   Current record: 9-5   Last tournament appearance: 2011   Gering is a Class B underdog that currently sits tenth in the wildcard hierarchy. The Bulldogs have taken down many of its western Nebraska rivals lately, including Sidney, North Platte, and Scottsbluff.   The sophomore duo of [player_tooltip player_id='498993' first='Jaxie' last='John'] and [player_tooltip player_id='443104' first='Jacey' last='Cochran'] continues to headline this group. They're also accompanied by a productive defensive unit that gets plenty of digs from Abby Schanaman, Camille Shimic, and several others. Gering is seeking its first postseason bid in over a decade and has climbed to the top of Class B's western arena.     Holdrege   Current record: 9-1   Last tournament appearance: 2007   Class C1 is full of new contenders near the top of the wildcard list. Holdrege has broken into the No. 4 spot and is hunting its first trip to Lincoln since 2007.   The Dusters have raced to a 9-1 start behind some explosive production from [player_tooltip player_id='582873' first='Carson' last='Sundquist'] and [player_tooltip player_id='462582' first='Pyper' last='Wells']. Both have hovered around three kills per set while also making major contributions in serve receive. Senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='395098' first='Keeley' last='Vaughn'] is another player we've highlighted before, and her assist averages consistently put her high on the C1 list.   Holdrege boasts an eight-match winning streak and scored huge recent triumphs over York and Ogallala. The C1 bracket could look a bit different in 2024.     Ogallala   Current Record: 11-4   Last tournament appearance: 2016   What about Ogallala? The Indians have seen plenty of volleyball success throughout their history but have been searching for a tournament breakthrough for nearly a decade. They're knocking on that door with an 11-4 mark.   [player_tooltip player_id='476960' first='Laney' last='Caskey'] and [player_tooltip player_id='498996' first='Alex' last='Ervin'] are putting down almost four kills per set apiece. This has given Ogallala one of Class C1's hardest-hitting offenses, but the conversation goes further than that. Junior libero [player_tooltip player_id='464928' first='Addison' last='Slama'] has separated herself as an exceptional defender and is delivering dimes to fellow junior [player_tooltip player_id='497367' first='Hayden' last='Shaw'] at setter. Ogallala's balanced effort with make the Indians a tough out during district action.     David City   Current record: 10-5   Last tournament appearance: 1986   It's been a while. David City hasn't reached the state tournament since the 1980s, but there's cause for excitement in 2024. Heralded outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='349479' first='Kamryn' last='Behrns'] is back to form with 5.8 kills per set on a 0.383 clip. [player_tooltip player_id='396731' first='Kambri' last='Andel'], another 2026 prospect, chips in with 2.6 kills per set while also running the offense from the back row. It's a perfect storm for a breakthrough.   The Scouts are 11-5 and sit right next to Ogallala on the C1 wildcard chart. There's serious gain potential for the rest of the regular season, as David City has high-profile matches with Thayer Central, Columbus Lakeview, and Fairbury. It's an opportunity to improve seeding before the final postseason push in late October.     Chase County   Current record: 9-3   Last tournament appearance: 2006   Chase County is another contender we can't leave out of the Class C1 discussion. The Longhorns have recently tallied wins over Cambridge, Gering, and Sidney to reach the No. 5 spot in the C1 standings.   Riley Rusher provides a ton of physicality on the left side and stands tall next to Hayley Rusher in the middle. Chase County's roster features even more family ties with Ava, Landree, and Aria McNair pitching in at various positions. More big tests remain with the Longhorns looking toward matchups with Gothenburg, North Platte, and a rematch with Bartley Southwest.

We're always here for the underdogs.