Class A’s top team has its work cut out at this weekend’s state dual tournament.
No. 1 Millard South saw its path laid out Monday with the release of the tourney pairings, and could potentially see three of the other four teams in Huskermat’s top five on the road to a title.
The Patriots open Saturday’s action at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney with a rematch against fifth-ranked Columbus, a team they lost to in a dual earlier in the month.
Win that and a likely showdown with No. 2 Omaha Burke awaits in the semifinals. Those two teams met in the final of the Metro Conference Duals just over two weeks ago, with Millard South prevailing 37-28.
And that’s just one side of the bracket.
Defending dual tournament champion Kearney is the top seed and opens against Papillion-La Vista South. A Bearcat win in the first round would set up a semifinal against either No. 4 Lincoln East or seventh-ranked Grand Island.
Seven of the top eight in the Class A ratings made the field under the tournament’s new qualifying criteria, which took into account results in duals rather than the finish at the individual state tournament.
Class B had much less order.
Top-ranked Omaha Skutt, which has reached the dual finals in all six years of its existence, is on the outside looking in for the first time.
The SkyHawks’ schedule — heavy on out of state individual tournaments — left them No. 10 in the wild card points. Class B No. 3 Wahoo also failed to qualify, finishing ninth in the points.
It leaves fifth-ranked Blair as the top seed, with second-ranked Hastings considered a co-favorite with the Bears.
Broken Bow and Plainview earned the top seeds in Classes C and D, respectively. The Class C field will include six of the top seven teams in the ratings, while only two of the top seven — top-ranked Burwell and No. 3 Plainview — qualified in Class D.
Opening round duals in Classes A and D are set to begin Saturday at 9 a.m., with Classes B and C to follow at 10:30 a.m. Semifinals for all classes are scheduled for 2 p.m., with championship duals slated for 5 p.m.
Check out the brackets below:
Class A: No. 1 Kearney (15-0) vs. No. 8 Papillion-La Vista South (18-9), 9 a.m. (mat 1). No. 4 Grand Island (10-1) vs. No. 5 Lincoln East (11-3), 9 a.m. (mat 8). No. 3 Omaha Burke (26-3) vs. No. 6 Papillion-La Vista (22-3), 9 a.m. (mat 7). No. 2 Millard South (20-2) vs. No. 7 Columbus (25-5), 9 a.m. (mat 2).
Kea-PLVS winner vs. GI-LE winner, 2 p.m. (mat 1). OB-PLV winner vs. MS-Col winner, 2 p.m. (mat 8). Kea-PLVS loser vs. GI-LE loser, noon (mat 1). OB-PLV loser vs. MS-Col loser, noon (mat 8).
Championship: 5:30 p.m. (mat 1). Third place: 3:30 p.m. (mat 1). Fifth place: 3:30 p.m. (mat 8).
Class B: No. 1 Blair (19-4) vs. No. 8 Grand Island Northwest (17-9), 10:30 a.m. (mat 1). No. 4 Lexington (10-3) vs. No. 5 Schuyler (9-3), 10:30 a.m. (mat 8). No. 3 Columbus Lakeview (16-2) vs. No. 6 Hastings (17-7), 10:30 a.m. (mat 7). No. 2 Sidney (20-2) vs. No. 7 Central City (17-4), 10:30 a.m. (mat 2).
Blair-GINW winner vs. Lex-Sch winner, 2 p.m. (mat 2). CV-Has winner vs. Sid-CC winner, 2 p.m. (mat 7). Blair-GINW loser vs. Lex-Sid loser, noon (mat 2). CV-Has loser vs. Sid-CC loser, noon (mat 7).
Championship: 5:30 p.m. (mat 2). Third place: 3:30 p.m. (mat 2). Fifth place: 3:30 p.m. (mat 7).
Class C: No. 1 Broken Bow (19-1) vs. No. 8 Wilber-Clatonia (17-4), 10:30 a.m. (mat 3). No. 4 Logan View (7-1) vs. No. 5 Valentine (6-2), 10:30 a.m. (mat 6). No. 3 David City Aquinas (7-2) vs. No. 6 David City (14-4), 10:30 a.m. (mat 5). No. 2 Arlington (14-0) vs. No. 7 Bridgeport (9-3), 10:30 a.m. (mat 4).
BB-WC winner vs. LV-Val winner, 2 p.m. (mat 3). DCA-DC winner vs. Arl-Brid winner, 2 p.m. (mat 6). BB-WC loser vs. LV-Val loser, noon (mat 3). DCA-DC loser vs. Arl-Brid loser, noon (mat 6).
Championship: 5:30 p.m. (mat 3). Third place: 3:30 p.m. (mat 3). Fifth place: 3:30 p.m. (mat 6).
Class D: No. 1 Plainview (8-0) vs. No. 8 Maxwell (8-0), 9 a.m. (mat 3). No. 4 Amherst (12-2) vs. No. 5 Neligh-Oakdale (12-0), 9 a.m. (mat 6). No. 3 Burwell (7-1) vs. No. 6 Winside (8-0), 9 a.m. (mat 5). No. 2 Thayer Central (10-0) vs. No. 7 Elwood (5-1), 9 a.m. (mat 4).
Plain-Max winner vs. Amh-NO winner, 2 p.m. (mat 4). Bur-Win winner vs. TC-Elw winner, 2 p.m. (mat 5). Plain-Max loser vs. Amh-NO loser, noon (mat 4). Bur-Win loser vs. TC-Elw loser, noon (mat 5).
Championship: 5:30 p.m. (mat 4). Third place: 3:30 p.m. (mat 4). Fifth place (3:30 p.m. (mat 5).
