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 LouPlatte Conference projections for 2025-26.
Doniphan-Trumbull knocked off Ogallala in the Class C1 Quarterfinals of the State Basketball Tournament last March. But then the Cardinals dropped a couple of nine-point decisions to Omaha Concordia and Lincoln Lutheran in the Semifinals and the Consolation Championship contest to finish 19-8 on the year.
Class C1 First Team All-Stater Jack Poppe, who scored 16.5 points a game a year ago, returns for Kelan Buhr as Doniphan-Trumbull tries to improve on last year's record and go after championship hardware of a golden color. Second Team All-Heartland Super Squad selectee Parker Volk scored 16 points a year ago and collected over eight boards a contest.
Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Boys LouPlatte Conference
Doniphan-Trumbull (19-8)
Central City (16-8)
Wood River (17-8)
Ord (11-14)
Arcadia-Loup City (8-16)
Centura (12-11)
St. Paul (7-15)
Gibbon (9-14)
Ravenna (2-21)
Doniphan-Trumbull
2024-25 Record: 19-8
Record Over Past Decade: 181-68
2024-25 Postseason: 1-2 | Class C1 Fourth
Head Coach: Kelan Buhr
Top Returning Players:
Senior Jack Poppe | 6-foot-2
16.5 Points | 5.2 Rebounds | 140 Assists | 86 Steals | 27 Blocked Shots
First Team Class C1 Omaha World Herald | First Team Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Heartland Super Squad
Senior Parker Volk | 6-foot-5
16.0 Points | 8.2 Rebounds | 48 Assists | 33 Steals | 20 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Second Team All-Heartland Super Squad
Central City
2024-25 Record: 16-8
Record Over Past Decade: 136-102
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: BJ Blase
Top Returning Players:
Senior Karter Negus | 6-foot-3 | Shooting Guard | Point Guard
10.3 Points | 4.7 Rebounds | 29 Assists | 22 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Wood River
2024-25 Record: 17-8
Record Over Past Decade: 110-125
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Josh Nuss
Top Returning Players:
Senior Madden Brabec | 5-foot-10 | Point Guard
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Sophomore Levi Johnson
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Ord
2024-25 Record: 11-14
Record Over Past Decade: 87-139
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Nick Gates
Top Returning Players:
Senior Landon Critel | 5-foot-11
10.5 Points | 2.6 Rebounds | 31 Assists | 23 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Junior Jordan Williams | 6-foot-1 | Point Guard
7.0 Points | 4.7 Rebounds | 75 Assists | 47 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Senior Colton Thompson | 6-foot
6.3 Points | 4.6 Rebounds | 33 Assists | 31 Steals | 22 Blocked Shots
Arcadia-Loup City
2024-25 Record: 8-16
Record Over Past Decade: 104-129
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Aaron Habe
Top Returning Players:
Junior Eli Jaixen | 5-foot-10 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
15.4 Points | 4.9 Rebounds | 79 Assists | 34 Steals | 7 Blocked Shots
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Senior Brogan Setlik | 5-foot-11 | Small Forward
5.5 Points | 3.8 Rebounds | 37 Assists | 22 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Senior Ryan Kaslon | 5-foot-9 | Guard
7.6 Points | 3.2 Rebounds | 40 Assists | 42 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
Senior Tyce Calleroz | 5-foot-9 | Point Guard
5.5 Points | 2.5 Rebounds | 53 Assists | 42 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Centura
2024-25 Record: 12-11
Record Over Past Decade: 122-113
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Tyler Ehresman
Top Returning Players:
Junior Wyatt Dvorak | 6-foot-1
2.3 Points | 1.7 Rebounds | 13 Assists | 10 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
Junior Fletcher Fries | 6-foot-3
3.7 Points | 2.2 Rebounds | 11 Assists | 8 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
St. Paul
2024-25 Record: 7-15
Record Over Past Decade: 117-114
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Chip Bahe
Top Returning Players:
Senior Zandyn Weller | 5-foot-10
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Gibbon
2024-25 Record: 9-14
Record Over Past Decade: 79-141
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: David Benge
Top Returning Players:
Senior Keaton Heikkinen | 5-foot-11
12.9 Points | 3.2 Rebounds | 49 Assists | 53 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Senior Jonathan Del Cid | 5-foot-10
5.0 Points | 3.3 Rebounds | 49 Assists | 43 Steals | 9 Blocked Shots
Ravenna
2024-25 Record: 2-21
Record Over Past Decade: 72-154
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Adam Mingus
Top Returning Players:
Senior Cooper Todd | Shooting Guard
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Sophomore Brendan Lockhorn | 6-foot-1
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
