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 Mid-State Conference projections for 2025-26.
Rob Sweetland welcomes back half of Wayne's scoring from a team that made a run to the C1-8 District Final before falling 62-50 to Sidney. Senior Jace Jorgensen and junior Jaxson Kneifl are back and ready to lead the charge to take that next step.
Jorgensen, a 6-foot-2 forward, averaged nearly 10 points a game a year ago and pulled down seven rebounds, dished out 54 assists, stole 24 enemy balls and blocked eight shots for the Blue Devils who went 21-6 in 2024-25. Kneifl contributed 8.7 points and 2.5 boards a game while adding 56 assists, 32 steals and a blocked shot to his stat line.
Cedar Catholic returns Seniors Mason Baller and Aaron Wortmann who both average 7.5 points a contest last winter. The Blue Devils hold the early edge on the Trojans because they upended Cedar Catholic 55-38 and 55-49 in overtime a year ago. Boone Central, Norfolk Catholic and Pierce follow in that order.
But enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Boys Mid-State Conference
Wayne (21-6)
Hartington Cedar Catholic (21-7)
Boone Central (14-10)
Norfolk Catholic (18-8)
Pierce (10-15 )
Battle Creek (11-13)
O'Neill (9-14)
Ponca (15-10)
Crofton (3-20)
Guardian Angels Central Catholic (7-19)
Wayne
2024-25 Record: 21-6
Record Over Past Decade: 181-89
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Rob Sweetland
Top Returning Players:
Senior Jace Jorgensen | 6-foot-2 | Power Forward | Small Forward
9.6 Points | 6.9 Rebounds | 54 Assists | 24 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
Junior Jaxson Kneifl | Guard | Small Forward
8.7 Points | 2.5 Rebounds | 56 Assists | 32 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
Hartington Cedar Catholic
2024-25 Record: 21-7
Record Over Past Decade: 185-77
2024-25 Postseason: 0-1 | Lost in Class C2 Quarterfinals
Head Coach: Nick Haselhorst
Top Returning Players:
Senior Mason Baller | 5-foot-10 Guard
7.5 Points | 2.5 Rebounds | 65 Assists | 40 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
Senior Aaron Wortmann | 6-foot | Guard
7.5 Points | 2.7 Rebounds | 33 Assists | 26 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
Boone Central
2024-25 Record: 14-10
Record Over Past Decade: 145-99
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Corey Thome
Top Returning Players:
Senior Jacob Miller | 5-foot-10 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
11.9 Points | 3.1 Rebounds | 40 Assists | 19 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
Sophomore Kaden Miller
8.9 Points | 3.0 Rebounds | 40 Assists | 25 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
Senior Brogan Benes | Shooting Guard
7.0 Points | 3.3 Rebounds | 48 Assists | 21 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Norfolk Catholic
2024-25 Record: 18-8
Record Over Past Decade: 135-115
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Kevin Manzer
Top Returning Players:
Senior Gavin Schutt | 6-foot-4 | Forward
12.3 Points | 6.0 Rebounds | 65 Assists | 46 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
Pierce
2024-25 Record: 10-15
Record Over Past Decade: 139-105
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Alex Thramer
Top Returning Players:
Senior Keaton Frazier | 6-foot-2
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
First Team All-Mid State Conference
Senior Brock Collison | 5-foot-11 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
Battle Creek
2024-25 Record: 11-13
Record Over Past Decade: 132-117
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Matt Rudloff
Top Returning Players:
Senior Isaac Rudloff | 6-foot | Point Guard
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
O'Neill
2024-25 Record: 9-14
Record Over Past Decade: 154-89
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Seth Kallhoff
Top Returning Players:
Senior Turner Heiss | 6-foot
12.2 Points | 5.8 Rebounds | 38 Assists | 44 Steals | 19 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star | First Team All-Mid States Conference
Senior Porter Mathews | 6-foot-3
5.0 Points | 9.3 Rebounds | 16 Assists | 36 Steals | 7 Blocked Shots
Ponca
2024-25 Record: 15-10
Record Over Past Decade: 194-72
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Adam Poulosky
Top Returning Players:
Senior Mickenon Peterson | 6-foot
3.5 Points | 4.8 Rebounds | 37 Assists | 16 Steals | 10 Blocked Shots
Junior Cooper Stewart | 5-foot-11
2.6 Points | 3.1 Rebounds | 8 Assists | 5 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
Crofton
2024-25 Record: 3-20
Record Over Past Decade: 47-176
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Frank Gade
Top Returning Players:
Junior Trevor Allen | 6-foot
16.8 Points
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
Senior Jace Panning | 6-foot
6.0 Points
Junior Tyson Jackson
6.4 Points
Guardian Angels Central Catholic
2024-25 Record: 7-19
Record Over Past Decade: 87-161
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Morgan Peatrowsky
Top Returning Players:
Senior Luke Guenther | 6-foot-1 | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Honorable Mention All-Mid State Conference
