Fillmore Central boys advance to SNC Championship, Thayer Central girls to play for third
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UTICA, NE — The Southern Nebraska Conference's 2023 Championship games are set.
No. 3 Fillmore Central will take on No. 4 David City in the boys title game while No. 1 Milford squares off with No. 2 Superior for the girls championship game.
Fillmore Central advanced to the conference championship with a 53-41 win over No. 2 Sandy Creek Thursday at Centennial High School in the semifinals.
The Panthers led 11-7 after the first and ballooned the lead to 30-15 by the break. Sandy Creek eventually trailed by as many as 17 in the third quarter, but trimmed its deficit to nine at the start of the fourth quarter.
Fillmore Central, though, hit nine free throws in the final period to hold off the Cougars 53-41.
Kiffin Theobald led the Panthers with 12 points on four three-pointers and Jayden Wolf finished with 10. Ethan Shaw paced Sandy Creek with 11 points.
In the other boys semifinal, David City erased a 28-12 halftime deficit against No. 9 Wilber-Clatonia to force overtime at 42-42. The Scouts would go on to defeat the Wolverines 55-49.
Superior made it into the championship round of the girls bracket with a 49-40 victory over No. 2 Thayer Central.
Thayer Central was quick out of the gates leading 12-4 after the first quarter. Superior brought out the press defense in the second quarter, forcing multiple turnovers to slow the Titans down.
The Wildcats also had greater offensive success in the second quarter, scoring 20 points to lead 24-19 at the break.
The third quarter was evenly matched. Thayer Central crawled a bit closer, but Superior still led 30-26 entering the fourth quarter.
Thayer Central took a brief lead in the fourth quarter at 33-32 with just over five minutes remaining. Superior though surged to retake the lead and used free throws to close things out with the 49-40 win.
Sadie Cornell paced Superior with 13 points while Halle Bargen added 11. Natalie Tietjen led the Titans with 12 points and Piper Havel had 10.
In the other girls semifinal, Milford took down No. 4 Centennial 31-26.
There was also one consolation game on Thursday. No. 5 Heartland defeated No. 8 Fairbury 53-44 in the boys bracket.
That sets up the following schedule for Saturday. All games will be played at Centennial High School.
11 a.m. - Heartland vs. Fillmore Central - Girls Consolation
11 a.m. - Sutton vs. David City - Girls Consolation
12:45 p.m. - Centennial vs Heartland - Boys Consolation
12:45 p.m. - Sutton vs. Milford - Boys Consolation
2:30 p.m. - Sandy Creek vs. Fairbury - Girls Consolation
2:30 p.m. - Centennial vs. Thayer Central - Girls 3rd Place
4:15 p.m. - Thayer Central vs. Superior - Boys Consolation
4:15 p.m. - Wilber-Clatonia vs. Sandy Creek - Boys 3rd Place
6 p.m. - Milford vs. Superior - Girls Championship
7:45 p.m. - David City vs. Fillmore Central - Boys Championship