After pouring through oodles of statistics, all-state, all-conference and all-area teams, last year's state tournament bracket and plenty of postseason rankings, we have uncovered our Eastern Midlands Conference projections for 2025-26.
John O'Connor welcomes back juniors Skylar Johnson and Harper Bohaboj and sophomore Macie Reiner from last year's 22-5 club that played its way into the Class B semifinals a year ago. The Badger trio averaged between 7.0-10.0 points a night and garnered Honorable Mention All-State honors in both the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star.
Led by senior Class B Second Team All-State honoree Ize Tidball, Wally Johnson's Norris Titans are on Bennington's heals with the return of five players that averaged 3.7 points a contest or better a year ago. Last season the Titans went 16-9 and made a State Basketball Tournament run of their own.
First Team All-Eastern Midlands Conference honoree Taryn French returns for Gretna East who went 20-7 and was the Class B State Basketball Runner-Up a year ago while Waverly, who went 21-4 and lost in the Class B semifinals in March, will rely on senior Kenna Kottman and junior Mia Jackson to get back there.
Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Girls Eastern Midlands Conference
Bennington (22-5)
Norris (16-9)
Gretna East (20-7)
Waverly (21-4)
Elkhorn North (11-11)
Blair (15-11)
Gretna (9-15)
Elkhorn (11-10)
Lincoln Standing Bear (7-15)
Hastings (4-18)
Lincoln Northwest (0-18)
Bennington
2024-25 Record: 22-5
Record Over Past Decade: 132-109
2024-25 Postseason: 1-1 | Lost in Class B Semifinals
Head Coach: John O'Connor
Top Returning Players:
Junior Skylar Johnson | 5-foot-8 | Guard
10.0 Points | 2.4 Rebounds | 46 Assists | 49 Steals | 9 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Junior Harper Bohaboj | 5-foot-5 | Guard
7.0 Points | 3.7 Rebounds | 140 Assists | 94 Steals | 6 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Eastern Midlands Conference | Second Team All-Omaha Area
Sophomore Macie Reiner | 5-foot-9 | Guard
8.3 Points | 4.1 Rebounds | 85 Assists | 59 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Norris
2024-25 Record: 16-9
Record Over Past Decade: 162-82
2024-25 Postseason: 0-1 | Lost in Class B Quarterfinals
Head Coach: Wally Johnson
Top Returning Players:
Junior Landri Gates | 5-foot-7 | Guard
10.6 Points | 3.6 Rebounds | 54 Assists | 56 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Ize Tidball | 5-foot-9 | Guard
10.0 Points | 6.2 Rebounds | 47 Assists | 71 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
Second Team Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Eastern Midlands Conference
Junior Ray Wegner | 6-foot-2 | Forward
7.6 Points | 7.9 Rebounds | 19 Assists | 25 Steals | 12 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Marlee Emerson | 5-foot-6 | Guard
8.0 Points | 3.1 Rebounds | 50 Assists | 49 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Alli Bornschlegl | 6-foot | Forward
3.7 Points | 4.2 Rebounds | 29 Assists | 56 Steals | 10 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Gretna East
2024-25 Record: 20-7
Record Over Past Decade: 39-15
2024-25 Postseason: 2-1 | Class B Runner-Up
Head Coach: Wade Coulter
Top Returning Players:
Senior Taryn French | 5-foot-9 | Guard
10.7 Points | 1.4 Rebounds | 29 Assists | 33 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Eastern Midlands Conference | HM All-Omaha Area
Junior Sophia Lindsey | 5-foot-5 | Guard
5.6 Points | 2.2 Rebounds | 38 Assists | 31 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
Waverly
2024-25 Record: 21-4
Record Over Past Decade: 151-86
2024-25 Postseason: 1-1 | Lost in Class B Semifinals
Head Coach: John Cockerill
Top Returning Players:
Senior Kenna Kottman | 5-foot-8 | Guard
5.5 Points | 5.2 Rebounds | 41 Assists | 32 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Eastern Midlands Conference
Junior Mia Jackson | 5-foot-11 | Forward
6.3 Points | 5.0 Rebounds | 32 Assists | 22 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Elkhorn North
2024-25 Record: 11-11
Record Over Past Decade: 108-16
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Mike Kroupa
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Payton Palmer
6.7 Points | 5.5 Rebounds | 33 Assists | 41 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
Senior Sahler Smith
7.0 Points | 4.7 Rebounds | 21 Assists | 17 Steals | 29 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Junior Addy Bratt | 5-foot-10 | Shooting Guard
7.2 Points | 2.5 Rebounds | 40 Assists | 41 Steals | 14 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Junior Kaylee Lake | Point Guard
6.9 Points | 3.1 Rebounds | 53 Assists | 38 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Junior Reagan Palmer
5.9 Points | 5.3 Rebounds | 32 Assists | 19 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Blair
2024-25 Record: 15-11
Record Over Past Decade: 113-120
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Matt Aschoff
Top Returning Players:
Senior Kate Wulf
9.0 Points
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Sophomore Cadence Field | 5-foot-5 | Point Guard
7.8 Points
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Junior Taytum Macholan | 5-foot-6 | Shooting Guard | Forward
6.0 Points
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Gretna
2024-25 Record: 9-15
Record Over Past Decade: 119-115
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: MaKayla Doggett
Top Returning Players:
Junior Ava McArtor | 5-foot-9 | Power Forward | Shooting Guard | Wing
8.5 Points
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Senior Maggie Miller | 5-foot-7 | Guard
7.7 Points
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Senior Megan Marshall | 5-foot-6 | Wing | Shooting Guard
6.7 Points
First Team All-Eastern Midlands Conference
Elkhorn
2024-25 Record: 11-10
Record Over Past Decade: 152-88
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Nicholas Thompson
Top Returning Players:
Senior Maggie Niles | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
4.0 Points | 1.2 Rebounds | 24 Assists | 15 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Omaha Area
Sophomore Brooklyn Wragge | 5-foot-8 Point Guard
4.0 Points | 2.0 Rebounds | 29 Assists | 11 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
Lincoln Standing Bear
2024-25 Record: 7-15
Record Over Past Decade: 7-15
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Jordan Haag
Top Returning Players:
Junior Braylee Vasa | 6-foot
8.7 Points | 5.5 Rebounds | 30 Assists | 48 Steals | 12 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Eastern Midlands Conference
Sophomore Sydnie Cain
6.4 Points | 7.3 Rebounds | 17 Assists | 20 Steals | 19 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln Journal Star
Sophomore Lily Hansmeier
7.4 Points | 2.7 Rebounds | 39 Assists | 40 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | HM Class B Lincoln journal Star
Hastings
2024-25 Record: 4-18
Record Over Past Decade: 95-128
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Lance Creech
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Ella Timsman | 6-foot-1
7.5 Points | 6.8 Rebounds | 10 Assists | 13 Steals | 14 Blocked Shots
HM Class B Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Lincoln Northwest
2024-25 Record: 0-18
Record Over Past Decade: 1-38
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Haley Gonzales
Top Returning Players:
Senior Ayanna Smith | Point Guard
Senior Lillian White | 5 -foot-5 | Shooting Guard | Point Guard
Senior Alivia Clemmons | 5-foot-8 | Small Forward | Shooting Guard
Senior Hallie Nyirongo | 5-foot-5 | Shooting Guard | Small Forward
Senior Diana Moore | 5-foot-3 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
