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 South Platte Valley Conference projections for 2025-26.
Following a fantastic 25-1 regular season, Bridgeport fell 69-51 to Gothenburg in the Class C1 State Tournament Quarterfinals a year ago. Dave Kuhlen's club, however, returns plenty of talent in 2025-26 to advance to day three of the state tournament in March.
It all starts with senior Ella Schluterbusch and junior Olivia Brown who both earned Honorable Mention All-State honors with the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star. Schluterbusch is Kuhlen's returning leading scorer after ripping the cords for 14.5 points an outing a year ago and dishing out 98 assists while swiping 104 enemy balls.
Brown averaged 12.4 points, pulled down 4.5 rebounds and was credited with 53 assists and 125 steals last year. Junior Elizabeth Velazquez averaged 8.3 points and dished out 60 assists and stole 87 enemy balls while senior center Jailyn Nichols put up 5.1 points a night and blocked 22 shots for the year.
Hershey went 13-10 last winter but returns six players that averaged six points a game or more in 2024-25. Junior Payton Jones and senior Aubry Hall lead the way after averaging 9.7 points each a year ago. Senior Kamryn Butterfield poured in 8.3 points a night.
Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Girls South Platte Valley Conference
Bridgeport (25-2)
Hershey (13-10)
Chase County (12-10)
Perkins County (10-13)
Mitchell (8-15)
Valentine (8-17)
Kimball (8-18)
North Platte St. Patrick's (4-19)
Sutherland (3-17)
Bridgeport
2024-25 Record: 25-2
Record Over Past Decade: 193-64
2024-25 Postseason: 0-1 | Lost in Class C1 Quarterfinals
Head Coach: Dave Kuhlen
Top Returning Players:
Senior Ella Schluterbusch | 5-foot-3 | Guard
14.5 Points | 2.0 Rebounds | 98 Assists | 104 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Olivia Brown | 5-foot-5 | Guard
12.4 Points | 4.5 Rebounds | 53 Assists | 125 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Elizabeth Velazquez | 5-foot-6 |Guard
8.3 Points | 2.8 Rebounds | 60 Assists | 87 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
Honorable Mention Class C1 Omaha World Herald
Senior Jailyn Nichols | 5-foot-9 | Center
5.1 Points | 4.1 Rebounds | 26 Assists | 54 Steals | 22 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class C1 Omaha World Herald
Hershey
2024-25 Record: 13-10
Record Over Past Decade: 137-97
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Alex Lowther
Top Returning Players:
Junior Payton Jones | 5-foot-5 | Shooting Guard
9.7 Points | 3.6 Rebounds | 59 Assists | 73 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Kamryn Butterfield | 6-foot-3 | Center
8.3 Points | 5.2 Rebounds | 9 Assists | 4 Steals | 22 Blocked Shots |
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Aubry Hall | 5-foot-9 | Guard | Point Guard
9.7 Points | 3.4 Rebounds | 60 Assists | 66 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Lexi Pinkerton | 5-foot-8 | Guard
6.0 Points | 4.4 Rebounds | 50 Assists | 62 Steals | 6 Blocked Shots
Junior Demi Damoude | 5-foot-9 | Guard | Forward
7.7 Points | 5.1 Rebounds | 36 Assists | 38 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
Senior Kenna Bringewatt | 5-foot-7 | Point Guard | Guard
6.8 Points | 5.3 Rebounds | 61 Assists | 62 Steals | 13 Blocked Shots
Chase County
2024-25 Record: 12-10
Record Over Past Decade: 139-91
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Zachary Stauffer
Top Returning Players:
Senior Karlie Anderson | 5-foot-7
HM Class C1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C1 Lincoln Journal Star
Perkins County
2024-25 Record: 10-13
Record Over Past Decade: 66-152
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Deanne Bishop
Top Returning Players:
Junior Madison Potts | 5-foot-7
12.9 Points | 3.7 Rebounds | 45 Assists | 42 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Ella Homan | 5-foot-6
11.0 Points | 3.6 Rebounds | 51 Assists | 80 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Mitchell
2024-25 Record: 8-15
Record Over Past Decade: 148-106
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Brooke Turek
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Morgan Paetow | 5-foot-8 | Guard
5.6 Points | 2.4 Rebounds | 29 Assists | 18 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
Senior Kate Pieper | 5-foot-7 | Point Guard
9.7 Points | 2.8 Rebounds | 19 Assists | 41 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
Valentine
2024-25 Record: 8-17
Record Over Past Decade: 60-154
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Ian Bish
Top Returning Players:
Junior Paige Sprenger | 5-foot-8 | Point Guard
18.7 Points | 4.1 Rebounds | 36 Assists | 134 Steals | 9 Blocked Shots
HM Class C2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class C2 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Aiden Hand | 5-foot-7
8.3 Points | 8.8 Rebounds | 6 Assists | 25 Steals | 8 Blocked Shots
Kimball
2024-25 Record: 8-18
Record Over Past Decade: 73-142
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Tyse Rogers
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Jaleigh Bohac
10.5 Points | 7.3 Rebounds | 28 Assists | 54 Steals | 10 Blocked Shots
Senior Addy Olson | 5-foot-10 | Shooting Guard | Point Guard
8.7 Points | 4.6 Rebounds | 13 Assists | 12 Steals | 6 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
North Platte St. Patrick's
2024-25 Record: 4-19
Record Over Past Decade: 161-85
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Kelsie O'Neill
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Olivia Phelps
2.9 Points | 5.1 Rebounds | 3 Assists | 10 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
Sutherland
2024-25 Record: 3-17
Record Over Past Decade: 68-140
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Daynlee Miller
Top Returning Players:
Senior Eliana Dyer | 5-foot-8 | Power Forward
5.2 Points | 5.1 Rebounds | 15 Assists | 17 Steals | 9 Blocked Shots
