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 Twin Valley Conference projections for 2025-26.
Shelton's trip to the 2024-25 Class D2 State Basketball Tournament didn't go as planned after the Bulldogs suffered a 49-40 quarterfinal loss to Wilcox-Hildreth to end its season 25-2. The good news is Shelton has plenty of motivation and the talent to get back to Pinnacle Bank Arena in March and make a deep run.
Head coach Jeff Thober returns talented, do-it-all senior Erin Gegg. The 5-foot-11 forward bullied Bulldog foes by scoring 14.6 points a game and averaged 6.3 rebounds on her way to First Team Class D2 All-State honors in the Omaha World Herald and Second Team All-State honors with the Lincoln Journal Star.
The Second Team All-Heartland Super Squad honoree also posted 43 assists, 49 steals and 25 blocked shots. Senior Susie Cheney is also back for Thober after averaging 4.0 points and 2.2 boards a year ago while also producing 101 assists, 44 steals and a blocked shot on the year.
Junior Gracie Willis ripped the cords for 7.7 points and pulled down 3.3 rebounds a game to go with 60 assists, 37 steals and a pair of blocked shots while senior Macy Willis averaged 5.4 points and 4.9 boards. The 5-foot-6 guard added 32 assists, 33 steals and two blocked shots.
Silver Lake could give the Bulldogs a run for their money. The Mustangs fell to 2024-25 Class D2 Runner-Up Dorchester 38-37 in the quarterfinals to bow out of the tournament with a 21-5 record last March. Seniors Sophie Schmidt and Makenna Karr are back to guide Kate Sinsel's 2025-26 version of Mustang basketball.
Schmidt averaged 12.5 points and 4.3 rebounds a year ago while posting 76 assists and 85 steals. Karr averaged 9.2 points and 6.6 boards while also contributing 53 assists, 43 steals and a blocked shot. Both players earned Class D2 Honorable Mention All-State honors in both the Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Journal Star.
Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Girls Twin Valley Conference
Shelton (25-2)
Silver Lake (21-5)
Red Cloud (14-9)
Blue Hill (14-9)
Kenesaw (11-11)
Deshler (11-12)
Lawrence-Nelson (8-16)
Franklin (5-18)
Giltner (1-21)
Harvard (1-21)
Shelton
2024-25 Record: 25-2
Record Over Past Decade: 124-112
2024-25 Postseason: 0-1 | Lost in Class D2 Quarterfinals
Head Coach: Jeff Thober
Top Returning Players:
Senior Erin Gegg | 5-foot-11 | Forward
14.6 Points | 6.3 Rebounds | 43 Assists | 49 Steals | 25 Blocked Shots
First Team Class D2 Omaha World Herald | Second Team Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Second Team All-Heartland Super Squad
Senior Susie Cheney | 5-foot-4 | Guard
4.0 Points | 2.2 Rebounds | 101 Assists | 44 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Junior Gracie Willis | 5-foot-6 | Guard
7.7 Points | 3.3 Rebounds | 60 Assists | 37 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention All-Heartland Super Squad
Senior Macy Willis | 5-foot-6 | Guard
5.4 Points | 4.9 Rebounds | 32 Assists | 33 Steals | 2 Blocked Shots
Silver Lake
2024-25 Record: 21-5
Record Over Past Decade: 129-101
2024-25 Postseason: 0-1 | Lost in Class D2 Quarterfinals
Head Coach: Kate Sinsel
Top Returning Players:
Senior Sophie Schmidt | 5-foot | Point Guard | Shooting Guard
12.5 Points | 4.3 Rebounds | 76 Assists | 85 Steals | 0 Blocked Shots
HM Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Makenna Karr | 5-foot-4 | Power Forward | Shooting Guard
9.2 Points | 6.6 Rebounds | 53 Assists | 43 Steals | 1 Blocked Shot
HM Class D2 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D2 Lincoln Journal Star
Red Cloud
2024-25 Record: 14-9
Record Over Past Decade: 113-110
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Casey Fangmeyer
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Aiva Rust | 5-foot-5 | Guard
12.9 Points
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Sophomore Josie Faimon | 5-foot-3 | Guard
9.8 Points
HM Class D1 Omaha World Herald | HM Class D1 Lincoln Journal Star
Senior Kayla Faimon | 5-foot | Guard
6.1 Points
Blue Hill
2024-25 Record: 14-9
Record Over Past Decade: 148-85
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Raelene Jameson
Top Returning Players:
Senior Avaley Toepfer | 5-foot-8
6.5 Points | 4.7 Rebounds | 10 Assists | 40 Steals | 3 Blocked Shots
Kenesaw
2024-25 Record: 11-11
Record Over Past Decade: 105-125
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Jace Morgan
Top Returning Players:
Junior Sophia Schukei | 5-foot-8
8.4 Points | 5.7 Rebounds | 30 Assists | 17 Steals | 10 Blocked Shots
Honorable Mention Class D1 Omaha World Herald
Deshler
2024-25 Record: 11-12
Record Over Past Decade: 107-115
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Amanda McKenzie
Top Returning Players:
Senior Payton Bauer | 5-foot-9
Senior Molley Drohman
Lawrence-Nelson
2024-25 Record: 8-16
Record Over Past Decade: 122-122
2024-25 Postseason: 0-1 | Lost in Class C1 Quarterfinals
Head Coach: Dan Kennedy
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Brynnly Harrison | Post
4.6 Points | 4.5 Rebounds | 6 Assists | 28 Steals | 5 Blocked Shots
Franklin
2024-25 Record: 5-18
Record Over Past Decade: 69-138
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Ryan Bonham
Top Returning Players:
Senior Johanna Haussermann | 5-foot-11 | Power Forward
6.0 Points | 8.7 Rebounds | 23 Assists | 30 Steals | 34 Blocked Shots
Giltner
2024-25 Record: 1-21
Record Over Past Decade: 58-160
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Kurt Finkey
Top Returning Players:
Sophomore Peyton Schutt | 5-foot-10 | Forward | Center | Guard
8.7 Points | 11.4 Rebounds | 11 Assists | 31 Steals | 23 Blocked Shots
Senior Avery Reeson | 5-foot-3 | Guard
9.6 Points | 3.8 Rebounds | 25 Assists | 50 Steals | 4 Blocked Shots
Harvard
2024-25 Record: 1-21
Record Over Past Decade: 36-184
2024-25 Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Alyssa Pelotte
Top Returning Players:
Junior Tabi Forney
9.0 Points | 7.0 Rebounds | 21 Assists | 42 Steals | 79 Blocked Shots
