• Photo Showcase: Friday's state tournament photos

• Video: Highlights from the Wahoo Neumann-Kearney Catholic game:



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LINCOLN — A strong second half against Kearney Catholic in Friday's semifinal will enable Wahoo Neumann to try to defend its Class C-1 title Saturday at the girls state basketball tournament.

And waiting for the Cavaliers in that final will be a team they know very well — crosstown rival Wahoo.

Neumann took care of business against the Stars, pulling away after half to post a 59-45 victory. The second-ranked Cavaliers boosted their record to 22-2 and lifted themselves into the finals for the third straight year.

Neumann lost to Norfolk Catholic in 2008 but defeated Bennington for its first title last year.

“That's a tribute to our girls to get back to that final three straight times,” Cavaliers coach Rick Ahrens said. “Our team did a good job today of stepping up in that second half.”

The teams played a spirited first half, with Kearney Catholic holding a 31-30 halftime advantage. Senior forward Katie Sokolowski had 15 points before halftime to pace the Stars while junior forward Alyssa Stanek had 14 first-half points for the Cavaliers.

Neumann took control of the game in the third quarter, going on an 11-0 run to take a 41-31 lead. Creighton recruit McKenzie Fujan had two baskets during that stretch while Alexis Woita, Stanek and Antonio Rada had one each.

“I didn't really say anything special at half to fire the girls up,” Ahrens said. “We made some adjustments and were able to break them down a little better defensively.”

The Stars were outscored 13-5 in the third quarter and didn't score their first points until Lindsay Connely's putback with 1:40 left in the period. Kearney Catholic cut the deficit to five points midway through the fourth quarter, but Neumann went on an 8-0 run to put the game away.

“We missed two layups at the start of the second half and that didn't help,” Stars coach Rick Petri said. “Then they did what good teams do and took advantage of it.”

Stanek finished with a game-high 22 points to pace Neumann, which will play at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in the C-1 final at the Devaney Center.
Sokolowski scored 21 to pace the Stars.

Kearney Catholic (24-2).....................11 20 5 9—45
Wahoo Neumann (22-2).....................16 14 13 16—59
• KC: Michaela Mestl 9, Rachael Owen 1, Kayla James 2, Lindsay Connely 7, Bailey Sokolowski 2, Becky Squiers 3, Katie Sokolowski 21.
• WN: Antonio Rada 3, Alexis Woita 4, Holly Fujan 4, Kelsey Morrissey 2, Tessa Klein 2, Morgan Maly 3, Mackenzie Fujan 19, Alyssa Stanek 22.

Contact the writer:

444-1350, mike.patterson@owh.com

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