Cedar boys to host SubDistricts

Enough with all that regular season nonsense and incredible performances, it’s go time for the Cedar Catholic boys basketball team.

The Trojans (20-4) have been tabbed the No. 1 seed in the C2-6 subdistrict tournament at Monsignor Werner Center which begins 7 p.m. Monday with a play-in game between Ponca and Crofton. 

The winner will play the No. 1 Trojans 6 p.m. Tuesday in a semifinal opposite No. 2 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (18-6) and No. 3 Hartington-Newcastle (11-11).

“We need to make sure we don’t overlook anyone and take care of business,” CCHS head coach Matt Steffen said. “The other side of the bracket is Hartington-Newcastle and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge.  Both teams are very capable of beating us on any given night.

“The keys to sub districts and districts is the same as regular season: Prepare well for your opponent, take one game at a time and hopefully move on.”

Junior Brett Kleinschmit said it is key to play everyone the Trojans see as if they are playing top-level competition.

“Any good team, I think we are ready for,” Kleinschmit said. “We have played enough. I swear, every game we are playing it seems like a tough team.”

The Trojans have plenty of momentum heading into this affair after they beat Norfolk Catholic, 48-44, on Friday to capture the Mid States Conference regular season crown.

Carter Arens and Jaxon Bernecker led CCHS with 16 and 14 points respectively while Carson Arens was a defensive stopper all night according to Steffen.

Kleinschmit said the big home win was a good feeling, especially after losing to them twice in football and in the semifinals of the Mid-States Conference tournament.

“We really wanted to win this game really bad,” Kleinschmit said. “We got out on shooters really well and they didn’t get many open shots beyond the arc. We played pretty good man-to-man defense.

“Personally, I don’t hear the crowd very much, but I am sure it got people going.”

Kleinschmit said that having a full week to practice for this game definitely didn’t hurt in preparation as the Trojans put all their focus on Norfolk Catholic’s offerings.

“You want to say we are at the top (of the basketball food chain) and I think we are definitely good enough to play with anyone,” Kleinschmit said.