Class A Season Preview

Over the next three weeks, we're going to take a look at each class in Nebraska, starting with Class D2 and ending up with Class A right around Thanksgiving weekend.  Today, we wrap up our preseason coverage with a look at Class A, which is loaded with returning talent, great teams and a great race for a state champion the first weekend in March. <strong style="font-size: 1rem;">RETURNING CHAMPION: </strong><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Millard North rode one of the craziest journey's in state tournament history to win the first championship in school history.  The Mustangs defeated an outstanding Papillion-LaVista squad in the first round before participating in one of the greatest games in the history of the Nebraska state tournament, a 64-57 triple overtime thriller (the first triple overtime game in state tournament history) over Lincoln Pius X.  The Mustangs finished the tournament with a resounding 62-52 victory over Lincoln Southwest, who defeated the Mustangs in the first round of the 2018 state tournament.</span> <strong>TOP RETURNING PLAYER: </strong>There are so many great players in Class A this season, but we're going to go with the returning Gatorade state player of the year Jayme Horan of Millard South.  The Creighton commit lead the Patriots to another state tournament, averaging 20 points and eight rebounds a game for the 21-4 Patriots, who were upset in the first round of the state tournament by the seventh-seeded Lincoln East Spartans.  Teammate Maddie Krull is also one of the best point guards the state has produced in a long time, and her game compliments Horan's perfectly in Millard South's uptempo, pressing system. <strong>TEAM ON THE BRINK:</strong> Nebraska legend Kelly Flynn has picked up right where he left off from his South Sioux City days at Fremont, and he's got a boatload of talent to try to lead the Tiger's program to new heights.  Lead by all-state sophomore Taylor McCabe and a terrific supporting cast, including seniors Sydney Golladay and Lexi Glosser, along with underclassmen Macy Bryant, Charli Earth and Sarah Shephard, the Tigers figure to make it to Lincoln for the first time since WNBA player Jessica Shephard played for the Tigers nearly half a decade ago. <strong>BEST CONFERENCE:</strong> Like Class B, Class A is limited to three major conferences, and most years the Metro Conference is usually at the top of the rankings.  However, the Heartland Conference is going to be terrific this season from top to bottom.  Along with the aforementioned Fremont, the Heartland also features new addtion Lincoln Pius X and Lincoln East (both of which were in the state semi-finals last year), with Lincoln Southwest (last year's state runner-up), Lincoln Northeast (with all-stater McKenna Minter) and Lincoln High (with two Division I signees).  You could have a state-championship quality team that won't even make the conference semi-finals this season in the conference; now that's depth. <strong>REGULAR SEASON GAME(S) OF THE YEAR: </strong>With so many great teams in Class A, it is almost impossible to pick out one game that is head and shoulders above everyone else, so we're going to do things a little differently in Class A; we're going to pick out the best date for games this season.  Ironically, that date is February 14th, a great day to fall in love with girls basketball here in Nebraska.  Millard South will be Omaha Westside, while Lincoln Southwest will be at city rival Lincoln East.  Also, Papillion LaVista will be at Milard West.  Terrific day of hoops in the state! <strong>"SUPER SEVEN" INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS IN CLASS C1:</strong> Jayme Horan, 6'0" F, Millard South (22.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, Sr.)/ Maddie Krull, 5'11" PG, Millard South (15.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 spg, 5.0 apg, Sr.)/ Nicole Avila-Ambrosi, 5'8" G, Millard North (13.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.0 spg, Sr.)/ McKenna Minter, 5'8" PG, Lincoln Northeast (16.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, Sr.)/ Taylor McCabe, 5'9" G, Fremont (18.2 ppg, So.)/ Alexis Markowski, 6'3" C, Lincoln Pius X (13.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg, Jr.)/ Ella Wedergren, 5'9" G, Omaha Westside (12.9 ppg, 4 apg, 40% 3 pt. shooter, Sr.) <strong>"ELITE EIGHT" IN LINCOLN THE FIRST WEEKEND IN MARCH: </strong>I am going to explain a couple of things about the Class A field before giving my picks.  Class A is absolutely loaded, with perhaps half of the class having a legitimate argument that they have a chance at the state tournament.  Class A is also different than the other classes, where they have seven district champions and one wild card team that qualifies based on regular season points based on strength of schedule.  There is also an added wrinkle of having traditional Class B powers Elkhorn and South Sioux City joining Class A for post-season competition, but playing a regular season largely consisting of Class B competition.  So, here is how I see things coming into the Class A season: Contenders: Lincoln High, Omaha Burke, Millard North, Omaha Marian, South Sioux City, Elkhorn South, Millard West District Champions: Millard South, Lincoln East, Westside, Papillion LaVista, Lincoln Northeast, Fremont, Lincoln Pius X Wildcard Qualifier: Elkhorn <strong>PRE-SEASON STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: </strong>What a loaded field!  As I said, half of Class A could stake a claim to a tournament birth, and many of those could have a logical argument as to why they should be cutting down the nets.  The tournament will come down to match-ups and health, but with all of that being even, the most talented roster is Millard South.  Horan and Krull lead the way, but with talented scorer McKenna Bray and a loaded freshman class, the Patriots are in line to win their first state championship since 1996 if they are able to set aside recent state tournament disappointments and catch the necessary breaks to win the title.