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 Niobrara Valley Conference projections for 2025-26.
One of the more competitive conferences in the Cornhusker State a year ago, the Niobrara Valley Conference sent three schools to the Class D2 Boys State Basketball Tournament. St. Mary's delivered, capturing the title with a 63-51 triumph over Wynot in the championship game while both Stuart and Elgin Public/Pope John lost in the D2 quarterfinals. All three programs should be strong once again.
Senior shooting guard Gage Hedstrom returns after averaging 18.1 points and 5.9 rebounds during St. Mary's 24-5 championship run. The First Team Class D2 All-Stater in both the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star was also credited with 87 assists, 44 Steals and two blocked shots on the year.
Juniors Ben Barlow and Logan Brabec are also back for Luke Balau as the Cardinals make a serious run at a repeat. Barlow averaged 14.6 points and 5.3 rebounds to earn Second Team All-State honors by both major newspapers while Brabec scored 14.4 points and reeled in 4.4 rebounds an outing and dished out 105 assists on the year to earn Second Team All-State honors in the World Herald and honorable mention in the Journal Star.
Senior Kayde Ramm is back for his final season after leading Stuart to an 18-7 record a year ago. The 5-foot-10 guard averaged 12.8 points and was credited with 81 assists and 71 steals on the season for head coach John Miller. Senior Drew Schmaderer finished 2024-25 with an 8.6 scoring average and 48 assists and 71 steals on the year.
Elgin Public/Pope John coach Matt Euse returns senior Jarek Erickson who earned Class D2 First Team All-State honors in both the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star last March.
Erickson did it all after scoring 14.7 points, ripping down 9.1 boards and dishing out 102 assists for the 16-11 Wolfpack a year ago. Senior Karson Kallhoff and sophomore Max Henn contributed 12.1 and 5.0 points a night respectively.
Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Boys Niobrara Valley Conference
St. Mary's (24-5)
Stuart (18-7)
Elgin Public/Pope John (16-11)
Boyd County (14-10)
Santee (10-10)
Chambers/Wheeler Central (11-13)
North Central (9-15)
Ainsworth (5-13)
Niobrara-Verdigre (1-23)
St. Mary's
2024-25 Record: 24-5
Record Over Past Decade: 152-89
2024-25 Postseason: 3-0 | Class D2 State Champion
Head Coach: Luke Bulau
Top Returning Players:
Senior Gage Hedstrom | 6-foot | Shooting Guard
18.1 Points | 5.9 Rebounds | 87 Assists | 44 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
First Team Class D2 Omaha World Herald | First Team Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Ben Barlow | 6-foot-1 | Shooting Guard
14.6 Points | 5.3 Rebounds | 64 Assists | 32 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
Second Team Class D2 Omaha World Herald | Second Team Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Logan Brabec | 5-foot-10 | Point Guard
14.4 Points | 4.4 Rebounds | 105 Assists | 68 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Second Team Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Stuart
2024-25 Record: 18-7
Record Over Past Decade: 129-101
2024-25 Postseason: 0-1 | Lost in Class D2 Quarterfinals
Head Coach: John Miller
Top Returning Players:
Senior Kayde Ramm | 5-foot-10 | Guard
12.8 Points | 4.4 Rebounds | 81 Assists | 71 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Drew Schmaderer | 5-foot-10 | Guard
8.6 Points | 4.7 Rebounds | 48 Assists | 71 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
HM Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Elgin Public/Pope John
2024-25 Record: 16-11
Record Over Past Decade: 111-127
2024-25 Postseason: 0-1 | Lost in Class D2 Quarterfinals
Head Coach: Matt Euse
Top Returning Players:
Senior Jarek Erickson | 6-foot-3 | Forward
14.7 Points | 9.1 Rebounds | 102 Assists | 34 Steals | 15 Blocked Shots
First Team Class D2 Omaha World Herald | First Team Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Karson Kallhoff | 5-foot-10 | Guard
12.1 Points | 3.7 Rebounds | 53 Assists | 19 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Sophomore Max Henn | 6-foot-5 | Forward
5.0 Points | 3.9 Rebounds | 11 Assists | 9 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
HM Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Boyd County
2024-25 Record: 14-10
Record Over Past Decade: 119-104
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Trevor Wright
Top Returning Players:
Senior Charlie Adams | 5-foot-11 | Shooting Guard
11.8 Points | 4.3 Rebounds | 46 Assists | 37 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Will Nelson | 6-foot-2 | Point Guard
5.3 Points | 6.0 Rebounds | 48 Assists | 29 Steals | 15 Blocked Shots
Senior Issac Jensen | 6-foot-2 | Small Forward
5.9 Points | 4.3 Rebounds | 27 Assists | 38 Steals | 10 Blocked Shots
Santee
2024-25 Record: 10-10
Record Over Past Decade: 91-111
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Jaylon LaPlante | Waylon LaPlante
Top Returning Players:
Junior Akesha Starlin | 5-foot-11 | Guard
12.4 Points | 2.2 Rebounds | 27 Assists | 39 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
Chambers/Wheeler Central
2024-25 Record: 11-13
Record Over Past Decade: 76-151
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Brady Firley
Top Returning Players:
Junior Michael Jesse | 6-foot-3 | Guard | Forward
14.8 Points | 8.5 Rebounds | 34 Assists | 29 Steals | 11 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Daniel Kluver | 6-foot-4 | Forward | Post
5.1 Points | 4.5 Rebounds | 11 Assists | 17 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
North Central
2024-25 Record: 9-15
Record Over Past Decade: 103-116
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Troy Graf
Top Returning Players:
Senior Carter Buell
Senior Trey Anthony | 6-foot-2
Senior Wyatt Fischer | 5-foot-10
Ainsworth
2024-25 Record: 5-13
Record Over Past Decade: 122-110
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Jake Nelson
Top Returning Players:
Senior Chris Fernandez | 5-foot-9
10.4 Points | 3.9 Rebounds | 41 Assists | 31 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Senior Witten Painter | 5-foot-9
8.2 Points | 4.5 Rebounds | 16 Assists | 14 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Niobrara-Verdigre
2024-25 Record: 1-23
Record Over Past Decade: 80-149
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Scott Kraus
Top Returning Players:
Senior Coy Wickersham | 5-foot-10 | Point Guard
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
