Blue Devils are hoping to improve upon last year ’s finish

WYNOT — After taking care of business with a huge win over Hay Springs in a Class D2 District Title game in Ainsworth, the Wynot Blue Devils set their sights on the next task at hand — a trip to Lincoln in 2023-24.

This year’s trip will be the Blue Devils’ fourth consecutive, sixth in the past nine years and 12th in school history for the boys.

Wynot won a State title back in 2013 and was the runner-up last season after dropping a 52-49 contest to Parkview Christian in the Class D2 finals. The Blue Devils also placed third in 2012 and 2017.

“We are improving and are ready for a State run,” Wynot coach Lee Heimes said. “We need to just focus on one game at a time. Do the little things right and they will add up to big things.”

“Naturally, we’re going down there to win it,” Wynot senior Dylan Heine said after the win over Hay Springs. “But we know we have to concentrate on every game. Everyone down there is capable of beating you; you need to stay focused on the next play.”

The Blue Devils will rely on several players who have played a lot and have plenty of experience in Lincoln.

Seniors Heine, Zack Foxhoven, Chase Schroeder, Carson Wieseler and Korbin Guenther, along with juniors Andrew Haberman and Cooper Oligmueller, form a formidable top seven, and add in seven sophomores and the talent is there.

In fact, it’s pretty much the same group who fell just two baskets short last season.

The Wynot history also adds up to a positive.

“Our experience helps us because we know what to expect as far as the environment,” Heimes said. “We can relate to experiences we have been through.”

The Blue Devils have added to that experience this season with a Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament Championship, their second straight, and games versus bigger schools like Wayne, Ponca and Cedar Catholic. The latter two qualified for the Class C2 State Tournament and Wynot gave Ponca one of its only two losses on the season thus far.

Wynot (17-7) is the No. 4 seed in Class D2 and will take on O’Neill St. Mary’s in the first round at 10:45 a.m. March 6 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. The Cardinals will bring an 18-6 record into the match-up.

No. 1 Shelton (23-1) and No. 8 Humphrey St. Francis (17-7) are in Wynot’s half of the bracket.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 Maywood-Hayes Center (223) takes on No. 7 Elm Creek (16-8) and No. 3 Walthill takes on No. 6 Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (17-7).

The winners on March 6 will advance to the semifinals on March 8 at 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Wynot would play in the 6 p.m. game.

The finals are set back at Pinnacle Bank Arena on March 9 in the final game of the tournament at 8:15 p.m. A consolation game is slated for 3 p.m. March 9 at Lincoln Northwest High School.