Weekend Warriors: a prospect that shined from each class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Nebraska girls hoops season got off to a strong start over the weekend. Each Monday during the season we will highlight a top player from each class in our "Weekend Warriors" column. Six players. Six classes. And a weekend full of big performances. Here is our first crack. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class A</strong> | [player_tooltip player_id='747368' first='Kylee' last='Paben'] (Millard West): Minnesota pledge got the defending Class A champions off on the right foot with a huge performance in the 'Cats season-opening win over Millard North. Paben, who averaged 13 points and nine rebounds a contest last year, went for 30 points, six rebounds and five steals as MW topped the Mustangs 63-52. Another big game on Thursday as Paben and the Wildcats will face Omaha North.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class B</strong> | [player_tooltip player_id='964973' first='Ava' last='Reed'] (Scottsbluff): The Bearcats traveled to North Platte to open the season with a pair of games with Class A South Sioux City and Norfolk. Reed -- playing with a talented group of freshman -- was fantastic pouring in 22 points in a 62-28 win over SSC and 18 more in their 61-44 win over Norfolk. She added nine rebounds, seven assists and seven steals in the two games as well. The Concordia pledge should fit right in for the Bulldogs next season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class C-1</strong> | [player_tooltip player_id='865311' first='Hannah' last='Hilker'] (O'Neill): We should hear this name a bunch this year as the Eagles should be a state tournament contender in a loaded Class C-1. The junior guard -- a coach told me "she is one of the best in the state no matter the class" -- scored 34 points, grabbed three rebounds and had seven steals in their season-opening 80-41 win over Valentine. Big tests this week for the Eagles against Battle Creek and 2025 Class C-2 finalist Elkhorn Valley.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class C-2</strong> | [player_tooltip player_id='1221233' first='Kinley' last='Ford'] (Alma): We will need to get used to this name. Ford made her high school debut last weekend with a pair of 20-point efforts. She scored 47 points, had 12 steals and seven assists in a 67-23 win over Bertrand and a 58-21 win over Kenesaw. What makes Ford go is the Cardinals have plenty of talent in Class C-2 to go along with her. Ford and the Cardinals will be a fun team to watch this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class D-1</strong> | [player_tooltip player_id='1180570' first='Madyson' last='Mlady'] (Bloomfield): When you beat perennial power Wynot early in the season you'll grab our attention. And that's just what Bloomfield did in their opener, 51-40. They added another win over Tri-County Northeast and Mlady showed her bag of tricks as one of the top sophomores in Nebraska. Against Wynot she had 20 points, 12 rebounds and five steals, then added a 21-point effort against TCNE.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class D-2</strong> | [player_tooltip player_id='758866' first='Claire' last='Brugger'] (McCool Junction): In looking to bounce back from a 10-13 season after making state in 2024, the Mustangs got off to a strong start with a 38-35 win over Crossroads Conference rival Cross County. Brugger -- who averaged in double figures as a junior -- was huge for McCool Junction with a 20-point, four rebound, four steal effort. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->