Published Mar 8, 2025
Saturday State GBB Finals Preview and Another Late One
Bob Jensen  •  HuskerlandPreps
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There’ll be more tomorrow but now a quick look at today’s 2025 girls state basketball finals.

Class A: Millard West (27-1) v. Omaha Westside (21-6), 1 p.m. Millard West slugged it out with determined Lincoln North Star before advancing with a 34-28 semifinals win. Westside, the No. 7 seed, pulled away from No. 6 Bellevue West, 47-35. Nothing’s come as easily as you might have thought for the defending champs but they should make it two in a row.

Class B: Skutt Catholic (27-1) v. Gretna East (20-6), 6:15 p.m. The Griffins have lived up to their darkhorse label, last night knocking off No. 2 Pius X, 38-34, behind a sterling effort and the ability to block out a hometown crowd. As for Skutt, somebody guard Molly Ladwig. Skutt wins, but it won’t be easy.

Class C-1: Lincoln Christian (27-0) v. Milford (25-1), 11 a.m. Top two seeds advance, a regular occasion for Lincoln Christian, a first-time chance for Milford, which features senior leaders Ayla Roth and Izzy Yeakley and 6-3 freshman sensation Shayla Rautenberg (14 and 12 on Friday night) also making big news.

Class C-2: Elkhorn Valley (28-0) v. Oakland-Craig (25-3), 4:15 p.m. Friday afternoon’s play at Devaney lived up to the hype, and then some. Scary Guardian Angels Central Catholic came at unbeaten EV with a 16-0 run and still came up short as the Falcons produced a gutsy finish to their victory. Kinda the opposite in the second game as it was Oakland-Craig roaring to life with a 9-0 to take the lead with three minutes or so left in regulation, then holding the Warriors off thanks to clutch free throw shooting by senior Adi Rennerfeldt, and another by junior Sonya Guzinski which sealed the deal.

Class D-1: Pender (27-2) v. Elm Creek (26-1), 9 a.m. Pender held Alma to 14% shooting in the first half and then hit a bunch of threes, like usual, to move within one more win of three straight state titles. Cedar, another scary lower seed, took an early nine-point lead on Elm Creek but the Buffs didn’t buckle, steadily surging until it had, and kept, the lead.

Class D-2: Dorchester (25-2) v. Falls City Sacred Heart (25-4), 8:15 p.m. Dorchester has become the tournament darling, making its first state final after bagging its first-ever two tournament wins, and yesterday downed No. 8 Wilcox-Hildreth, 39-31, after Wil-Hil had taken down No. 1 seed Shelton. Dorchester is legit, a very good team that seems unaware of all the hustle and bustle of state basketball, but this is Sacred Heart we’re talking about, and after beating Archangels Catholic last night they seem destined to take this all the way. And again I say, move the D-2 game out of the 8:15 or whatever slot, move it up so those kids enjoy a richer state final experience with more fans on hand.

Once again on Friday I had horrible trouble uploading my Thursday recap, Friday preview on the website. It's late but again I am publishing this just in case you wanted to know what I had to say in advance of Friday's games...

* There’ll be more tomorrow but now a quick look at today’s 2025 girls state basketball finals.

Class A: Millard West (27-1) v. Omaha Westside (21-6), 1 p.m. Millard West slugged it out with determined Lincoln North Star before advancing with a 34-28 semifinals win. Westside, the No. 7 seed, pulled away from No. 6 Bellevue West, 47-35. Nothing’s come as easily as you might have thought for the defending champs but they should make it two in a row.

Class B: Skutt Catholic (27-1) v. Gretna East (20-6), 6:15 p.m. The Griffins have lived up to their darkhorse label, last night knocking off No. 2 Pius X, 38-34, behind a sterling effort and the ability to block out a hometown crowd. As for Skutt, somebody guard Molly Ladwig. Skutt wins, but it won’t be easy.

Class C-1: Lincoln Christian (27-0) v. Milford (25-1), 11 a.m. Top two seeds advance, a regular occasion for Lincoln Christian, a first-time chance for Milford, which features senior leaders Ayla Roth and Izzy Yeakley and 6-3 freshman sensation Shayla Rautenberg (14 and 12 on Friday night) also making big news.

Class C-2: Elkhorn Valley (28-0) v. Oakland-Craig (25-3), 4:15 p.m. Friday afternoon’s play at Devaney lived up to the hype, and then some. Scary Guardian Angels Central Catholic came at unbeaten EV with a 16-0 run and still came up short as the Falcons produced a gutsy finish to their victory. Kinda the opposite in the second game as it was Oakland-Craig roaring to life with a 9-0 to take the lead with three minutes or so left in regulation, then holding the Warriors off thanks to clutch free throw shooting by senior Adi Rennerfeldt, and another by junior Sonya Guzinski which sealed the deal.

Class D-1: Pender (27-2) v. Elm Creek (26-1), 9 a.m. Pender held Alma to 14% shooting in the first half and then hit a bunch of threes, like usual, to move within one more win of three straight state titles. Cedar, another scary lower seed, took an early nine-point lead on Elm Creek but the Buffs didn’t buckle, steadily surging until it had, and kept, the lead.

Class D-2: Dorchester (25-2) v. Falls City Sacred Heart (25-4), 8:15 p.m. Dorchester has become the tournament darling, making its first state final after bagging its first-ever two tournament wins, and yesterday downed No. 8 Wilcox-Hildreth, 39-31, after Wil-Hil had taken down No. 1 seed Shelton. Dorchester is legit, a very good team that seems unaware of all the hustle and bustle of state basketball, but this is Sacred Heart we’re talking about, and after beating Archangels Catholic last night they seem destined to take this all the way. And again I say, move the D-2 game out of the 8:15 or whatever slot, move it up so those kids enjoy a richer state final experience with more fans on hand.