Twenty-five postseason games hit the boards Saturday across five classes. Thirteen district finals in Classes C1, C2, D1, and D2 produced the state’s first confirmed boys postseason qualifiers — and the upsets were relentless. Seven lower-rated teams won in district finals, with one result standing above the rest. Here’s your Feb. 28 recap.
Upset of the Day: EMF Takes Down No. 1 Alma, 50-46
The day’s biggest result came in the C2-4 District Final, where EMF (#10 in the NebPreps Computer Ratings) knocked off Alma (#1, 23-1) 50-46. Alma entered Saturday as the top seed in Class C2 — one loss all season, rated first in the computer ratings. EMF, at 17-6, was a 9-rank underdog. The final margin was four points. EMF advances to state. Alma’s season is over.
D2 and D1 Add to the Chaos
The smaller classes piled on. In Class D2, Pleasanton (#19, 10-12) was a 13-rank underdog against Lawrence-Nelson (#6, 18-3) in the D2-4 District Final — and won 59-38. Guardian Angels Central Catholic (#20, 12-11) beat Wallace (#8, 17-7) 51-28 in D2-6, a 23-point margin. Both upsets in D2 were decided by double digits, which only adds to the statement. In Class D1, Mead (#21) knocked off Bertrand (#9, 19-5) 47-37 in D1-8, and Fullerton (#7) edged past Overton (#4, 20-3) 64-45 in D1-7. Of the six D1 and D2 district finals played Saturday, four went to the lower-rated team.
Lincoln Christian, Gothenburg Pull C1 Upsets
Class C1 had two district final upsets of its own. Lincoln Christian (#13, 16-7) beat Bridgeport (#5, 21-4) 65-55 in the C1-5 District Final — a 10-rank gap on a program with a 21-win season. Gothenburg (#8, 18-5) edged Doniphan-Trumbull (#6, 18-4) 52-48 in C1-8, a four-point game that came down to the wire. Both advance to state.
Ogallala Stays Perfect with Statement Win
Not all of Saturday went against the ratings. Ogallala, the unbeaten No. 1 seed in Class C1 Boys (22-0), left little doubt in the C1-1 District Final, rolling Columbus Lakeview 90-32. The 58-point margin was the day’s biggest blowout. Ogallala is state-bound and still perfect. Ashland-Greenwood (#4, 22-1) was equally dominant in C1-2, handing Adams Central a 71-26 defeat.
Class A District Semis: Top Seeds Advance, One-Point Thriller in A-4
Class A ran district semifinals across all seven brackets Saturday, and the top of the ratings delivered. Omaha Westside (#1, 21-4) handled Omaha Buena Vista 66-29. Creighton Prep (#2, 19-5) made the day’s most emphatic statement, beating Fremont 79-22. Millard North (#3) beat Bellevue East 72-40. The night’s closest game came in District A-4, where Omaha Westview (#13) held off Millard West (#15) 49-48 — one point. Westview advances to the A-4 district final against Lincoln Southwest (#5).
By the Numbers
Games played: 25 | Classes: A (district semis), C1, C2, D1, D2 (district finals) | District finals played: 13 | Upsets in district finals: 7 of 13 (54%) | Avg margin: 21.6 points | Closest game: 1 point — Omaha Westview 49, Millard West 48 (District A-4) | Biggest blowout: 58 points — Ogallala 90, Columbus Lakeview 32 (C1-1 District Final)
What’s Next
Saturday’s district final winners advance to the state tournament. More C1, C2, D1, and D2 district finals continue through next week to fill out the remaining state brackets. Class A district finals are March 2-3, where Westside, Creighton Prep, and Millard North make their first district final appearances. The state tournament opens March 11 at Pinnacle Bank Arena and Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln.
