The basketball season got rolling this past week and the RPAC fared pretty well. It appears we will see a lot of solid ball from a number of teams. Let's dive into the results
Alma
Alma opened the season against Bertrand on Thursday. Check out our game story as we were there covering the matchup, here. Alma then played against Kenesaw and took care. business again winning 45-33. Jakin Neal had 12 points to lead Alma. Tucker BIskup and Titus Epp pitched in nine in the effort too. This team has been impressive so far.
They start just one senior and four sophomores but they look poised to make some noise this season. They will look to keep things going with three games this week as they play Elm Creek Tuesday, Blue Hill Thursday, and Wilcox-Hildreth Friday.
Arapahoe
It was heartbreak times two for the Arapahoe boy's basketball team to start the 2023-2024 campaign. They started the season against Overton on Thursday. Arapahoe lost in the opener 52-51. Arapahoe was down 31-27 going to halftime. They had a huge third quarter outscoring the Eagles 15-6. They led 42-37 going to the fourth. Overton stormed back and scored 15 while holding Arapahoe to nine to secure the win.
Kade Fisher had 18 points and Trenton Roskop added 17. Roskop had a total of 16 rebounds in the game too.
Arapahoe then faced Lawerence-Nelson and lost by one again, 39-38. Arapahoe was down 29-23 going to the fourth quarter. They made a strong effort to come back and win but fell just short as they outscored the Raiders 15-10.
Fisher had 10 points to lead Arapahoe.
The Warriors are 0-2 and will play Medicine Valley on Tuesday in the opening round of the Cattle Trail Tournament. We'll see if Arapahoe can turn the close losses into wins.
Bertrand
The Vikings started the season at Alma on Thursday. We were there for coverage so check out the game story here. Bertrand then faced Axtell on Friday and lost 50-39. The Vikings found themselves down early, 13-5. From there they struggled to get back into the game.
Thunder Nelson had 12 points and Marcus Hernandez added 10.
The Vikings are now 0-2 and will play Loomis on Saturday. That will be one of our Featured Matchups this week, so stay tuned for updates.
Cambridge
Cambridge started the season 2-0. They took on Hitchcock County to start the season and won in a close one, 62-57. Brady Ahlemeyer had a big game with 18 points. Three other Trojans had double figures Brohedy Wood with 13, and Carson Trompke and Ben Hoberty pitched in 12 apiece. Wood recorded 13 rebounds too.
Cambridge then played Wauneta-Palisade Friday and won big. That game was one of our RPAC Rundown Featured Matchups. Check out the game story here. The Trojans have a lot of nice pieces this season.
They will play Southern Valley Tuesday, which is one of our Featured Matchups this week, and then South Loup on Friday.
Dundy County Stratton
The Tigers had just one game last week to start the season. DCS played Creek Valley and dominated them, 78-17. The Tigers led 50-7 at the intermission and kept their strong play up to secure the win.
DCS begins play in the Cattle Trail Tournament on Tuesday and they open with Southwest.
Hitchcock County
Hitchcock County started the season with just one game last week and it was against the Cambridge Trojans. They fell in a very close game, 62-57 to the Trojans.
Hitchcock County is a young team with solid potential in the season. They will look to bounce back in the Cattle Trail Tournament. They play against Southwest in the first round.
Maywood-Hayes Center
The Maywood-Hayes Center Wolves started the season with a pair of RPAC opponents as they played Wallace and Southwest. In those matchups, they came away with two wins.
First, they beat Wallace by a large margin, 71-36. The Wolves were led by Jerry Ingison and his 27 points and eight rebounds. Gage Gerlach had 11 and Haydn Farr added 10.
MHC then had to take on Southwest. They won that game big too, 73-36. Farr led MHC with 18 points and Ingison had 14.
MHC will look to keep things rolling as they begin play in the Cattle Trail Tournament on Tuesday. Their opening game will be against Decatur Community.
Maxwell
The Wildcats began their season last week with a pair of tough games. First, they lost to Sandhills/Thedford 46-25.
Following that game, they played Cozad on Saturday. The Wildcats couldn't keep up with the Haymakers losing 65-15. Maxwell will try and bounce back with games against Hi-Line Tuesday and St. Pat's Thursday.
Medicine Valley
It was a great start for Jason Maier and his Raiders as they took wins in both of their games last week. First, they beat Southwest 60-57. Brody Sneff had a nice game with 15 points and Lucas Einspahr had 15 too. Sneff had 10 rebounds and Auston Roblee had eight assists.
The Raiders then played against Paxton and came away with another close win, 39-37. Sneff scored 13 in the effort and Mason Roblee had nine.
Medicine Valley will compete in the Cattle Trail Tournament and play Arapahoe on Tuesday.
Paxton
The Tigers traveled to North Platt Community College to take on the Anselmo-Merna Coyotes on Thursday to open the season. Paxton got a slow start as they trailed 13-4 at the end of the first quarter. They responded with solid second and third quarters but the deficit was too big. Paxton fell 44-33 to the Coyotes. Tommy Markussen had 11 points, five rebounds, and four steals to lead the team.
The Tigers traveled to take on Medicine Valley on Friday and had a better game but still came up short as they fell to the Raiders 39-37. Markussen had 16 points, six rebounds, and six steals.
Paxton is 0-2 on the season and will host Brady on Friday and Potter-Dix on Saturday.
Southern Valley
Southern Valley hit the road to open the season in Minden on Thursday. The Eagles hung with the Whippets as it was tied at eight after the first quarter but then Miden created separation and the Eagles couldn't keep up.
Isaac Hamilton led the team with 11 points.
On Friday, Elm Creek came to town and Southern Valley had a great start as they led 23-15 after one. The Buffaloes made adjustments and the Eagles just couldn't adjust as they lost 78-67.
Kamden Bose led the team with 30 points while Hamilton added 18 points.
Southern Valley is 0- 2 on the season and will travel to Cambridge on Tuesday and host Overton on Saturday.
Southwest
Southwest hosted Medicine Valley on Thursday and lost 60-57. Houston Billeter led the team with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals while Jakub Walz had 15 points and nine rebounds.
On Friday, the Roughriders traveled to Hayes Center to take on the Wolves of Maywood-Hayes Center. Southwest hung around for the first quarter and then they fell behind and lost the game 73-36.
Nathan Rippe led the team with 15 points.
Southwest is 0-2 and will play Dundy County Stratton in the Cattle Trail tournament that starts on Tuesday.
Wallace
Wallace traveled to Wauneta-Palisade on Thursday to take on the Broncos and won 42-30. Jason Fisher led the team with 13 points, seven rebounds, five steals, and four blocks.
Wallace hosted Maywood-Hayes Center on Friday and lost 71-37. Matt Lungrin led the team with 20 points.
The Wildcats are 1-1 on the season and will host Sandhills/Thedford on Thursday and travel to Hyannis on Saturday.
Wauneta-Palisade
Wauneta-Palisade lost to Wallace on Thursday 42-30 and Cambridge on Friday, 64-30. That was an RPAC Rundown Featured Matchup, so check out the story here. The Broncos are 0-2 to start the season and will play Dundy County Stratton on Tuesday for the Cattle Trail tournament.