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 made our Crossroads Conference projections for 2025-26.
We went back and forth in making our picks. Especially, at the top. However, McCool Junction returns First Team All-State guard Carson McDonald earning the Mustangs the nod.
But don't count out the Cougars who will be led by senior Sawyer Anderson or East Butler who hit the 20-win mark a year ago. J. T. Hamm, meanwhile, returns plenty of talent following a 15-8 campaign at High Plains Community.
Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Boys Crossroads Conference
McCool Junction (23-6)
Cross County (26-3)
East Butler (20-6)
High Plains Community (15-8)
Shelby-Rising City (13-12)
Osceola (14-12)
Twin River (11-14)
Nebraska Lutheran (9-13)
Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (9-14)
Hampton (6-16)
Meridian (2-20)
Dorchester (1-21)
McCool Junction
2024-25 Record: 23-6
Record Over Past Decade: 140-93
2024-25 Postseason: 2-1 | Class D1 Third
Head Coach: Jabe Wurtz
Top Returning Players:
Senior Carson McDonald | 6-foot | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
16.3 Points | 5.8 Rebounds | 154 Assists | 48 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
First Team Class D1 Omaha World Herald | First Team Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Sophomore Jaxon McDonald | 5-foot-8 | Guard | Small Forward
5.6 Points | 2.8 Rebounds | 64 Assists | 25 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Cross County
2024-25 Record: 26-3
Record Over Past Decade: 197-65
2024-25 Postseason: 2-1 | Class C2 Runner-Up
Head Coach: Jimmy Blex
Top Returning Players:
Senior Sawyer Anderson | 6-foot-1 | Guard
8.2 Points | 3.0 Rebounds | 83 Assists | 48 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
East Butler
2024-25 Record: 20-6
Record Over Past Decade: 120-116
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Matt Novak
Top Returning Players:
Junior Grant Kozisek | 6-foot-2
10.8 Points | 4.0 Rebounds | 70 Assists | 70 Steals | 9 Blocked Shots
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Owen Obbink | 6-foot-5 | Point Guard | Small Forward
9.3 Points | 4.4 Rebounds | 86 Assists | 25 Steals | 25 Blocked Shots
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Drew Wachal | 6-foot
5.5 Points | 3.5 Rebounds | 22 Assists | 19 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
High Plains Community
2024-25 Record: 15-8
Record Over Past Decade: 87-133
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: J.T. Hamm
Top Returning Players:
Senior Carter Urkoski | 6-foot-3 | Center
11.8 Points | 8.6 Rebounds | 38 Assists | 32 Steals | 10 Blocked Shots
HM Class Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Brodey Spurling | 6-foot-1 | Forward
9.7 Points | 5.7 Rebounds | 32 Assists | 20 Steals | 31 Blocked Shots
HM Class Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Carson Swedenburg | 5-foot-9 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
5.0 Points | 2.0 Rebounds | 24 Assists | 16 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Senior Chase Owens | 5-foot-10 | Guard
5.2 Points | 2.3 Rebounds | 51 Assists | 25 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Shelby-Rising City
2024-25 Record: 13-12
Record Over Past Decade: 113-119
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Erik J. Kravig
Top Returning Players:
Junior Nixon Thelen | 5-foot-11 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
10.2 Points | 2.7 Rebounds | 78 Assists | 31 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Noah Thelen | 5-foot-9
9.7 Points | 2.7 Rebounds | 34 Assists | 31 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Blake Schmidt | 6-foot
6.9 Points | 2.3 Rebounds | 56 Assists | 36 Steals | 9 Blocked Shots
Osceola
2024-25 Record: 14-12
Record Over Past Decade: 140-109
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Jason Zelasney
Top Returning Players:
Senior Brayden Santos | 5-foot-7 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
8.8 Points | 2.3 Rebounds | 59 Assists | 44 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Jackson Winslow | 6-foot
6.5 Points | 4.0 Rebounds | 36 Assists | 41 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald
Twin River
2024-25 Record: 11-14
Record Over Past Decade: 113-129
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Gabe Stalder
Top Returning Players:
Senior Colsten Rodriguez | 5-foot-11
13.4 Points | 3.0 Rebounds | 54 Assists | 26 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Corbin Rodriguez | 5-foot-9 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
11.4 Points | 5.0 Rebounds | 92 Assists | 39 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Braedyn Ramaekers | 6-foot-2
6.2 Points | 7.1 Rebounds | 17 Assists | 19 Steals | 6 Blocked Shots
Nebraska Lutheran
2024-25 Record: 9-13
Record Over Past Decade: 123-91
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Chris Beagle
Top Returning Players:
Senior Luke Otte | 6-foot-1
10.0 Points | 4.1 Rebounds | 7 Assists | 9 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
Senior Barrett Koontz | 5-foot-10
9.3 Points | 4.0 Rebounds | 26 Assists | 31 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
Bruning-Davenport/Shickley
2024-25 Record: 9-14
Record Over Past Decade: 162-85
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Kevin Bombeck
Top Returning Players:
Senior Levi Kamler | 6-foot-4 | Guard | Wing
Junior Aiden Domeier | 6-foot-2
Sophomore Harm Lemke | 6-foot-3 | Power Forward | Center
Junior Owen Beavers | 5-foot-11 | Guard | Wing
Hampton
2024-25 Record: 6-16
Record Over Past Decade: 53-161
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Andrew Johnson
Top Returning Players:
Senior Wyatt Dose | 6-foot-4 | Power Forward
13.1 Points | 6.6 Rebounds | 25 Assists | 15 Steals | 22 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Sophomore Landen Rojewski | 5-foot-8 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
10.4 Points | 3.6 Rebounds | 65 Assists | 45 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Meridian
2024-25 Record: 2-20
Record Over Past Decade: 36-184
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Shawn Pohlmann
Top Returning Players:
Junior Maddox Haake | 5-foot-10 | Guard | Forward
12.4 Points | 3.7 Rebounds | 43 Assists | 41 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
Sophomore Jayton Jones | 5-foot-11 | Guard | Forward
10.2 Points | 7.9 Rebounds | 37 Assists | 31 Steals | 6 Blocked Shots
Dorchester
2024-25 Record: 1-21
Record Over Past Decade: 22-193
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Corey Bird
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Max Novak | 5-foot-7 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
6.5 Points | 2.9 Rebounds | 22 Assists | 21 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Senior Chase Tachovsky | 5-foot-8 | Small Forward | Guard
5.3 Points | 4.2 Rebounds | 31 Assists | 20 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Junior Mason June | 5-foot-8 | Shooting Guard | Point Guard
5.7 Points | 2.4 Rebounds | 20 Assists | 25 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Sophomore Thor Nerud | 6-foot-1 | Small Forward
6.1 Points | 5.1 Rebounds | 19 Assists | 10 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
