Kimball and Gering play practice scrimmage

The Kimball Longhorns got the basketball season underway Monday evening with a practice scrimmage with the Gering girls and boys. The Nebraska School Activities Association allows all Nebraska High Schools to hold an early game with any selected opponent with the proceeds to go towards helping fund the Nebraska State Hall of Fame. Kimball and Gering went against each other last year at the Gering site.

Most schools elect to play the game like a regulation contest but at Gering's request, the Kimball-Gering matchup is played more like a practice, complete with practice jerseys and no numbers. No score is kept by book, or on the score board, so the fans don't know know what the score is unless they keep it themselves, and with no program or roster, they don't know the players unless they just happen to know them personally. A set of officials are used and time is kept on the score clock. Kimball High Activities Director, Ken Smith, as well as the Kimball coaches, would rather play it as a regulation game.

That being said, Gering would have won both the girls and boys games, as might be expected of the larger school. In the girl's game, Gering took an early lead and held it throughout but the Lady Longhorns did battle back hard in the second half. The Lady Horns were getting plenty of shots early, but couldn't get anything to fall. Coach Chauncey Pedersen started seniors Alex Reader, Hannah Biesecker and Justine Heeg, along with, junior Kate Reader and sophomore Carli Wurdeman, but went to his bench early and often as he switched up his lineup and got good play from a lot of his younger players as well.

Kate Reader was driving to the basket well all night but failing to get her shots to fall early, but in the second half they started falling and at one point she scored four unanswered baskets and finished with a team high of 19 points. Kimball played even with the talented Gering squad in the second half and showed signs of being a team to reckon with this season, especially when they drop down into their own class and their own conference play.

In the boy's game, Gering dominated with their height and with their quickness at the guard sports. Coach Luke Dea started with senior Kole Bush along with juniors Zane Anthony, Izaac Reuter, Brady Kilgore, and Colton Mielke brining in junior Corey Travis very early into the contest. He also went to the bench early to bring in sophomores Beau Hanks, Brendan Walker, and Jacob Withrow. Despite losing by a considerable margin had the score been kept officially, there were bright spots for the Horns as they played hard from start to finish and kept their composure well. The Horns will win their share of games on their schedule it would appear.

Nice to see Coach Luke Dea back on the bench after sitting out last year with some health problems, and nice to see Coach Gene Mohr and Bruce Tjosvold back as well. On the girl's side of things, Coach Chauncey Pedersen has his usual assistant, Tiffany Johnson back and Luke Maas has also joined the coaching staff for the girls.