McCook hosts area final today vs. Holdrege

Dust may be flying today but Clayton Stevens and the McCook National Bank Seniors will be focused on clinching a Class B Area 6 tournament title. They play the 5:30 p.m. title game against Holdrege at McCook’s Jaycees Complex.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — Holdrege will get one more chance to score against McCook National Bank this season after winning Monday’s B-6 elimination game, 17-7, over Broken Bow.

The No. 1-seed MNB (27-8) American Legion Post 203 Seniors await No. 3 Holdrege (20-19) in the 5:30 p.m. title game at McCook’s Jaycees Complex.

Holdrege hasn’t scored in three previous meetings with MNB losing this season. MNB ace Kaden Sitzman won’t pitch tonight, but No. 2 ace Clayton Stevens will be available as he has not pitched so far in the B-6 tourney.

Holdrege winning would mean a second title game would follow to determine who qualifies for Class B state at Alliance starting on Saturday.

Other area tournaments

A pair of No. 1 seeds have been knocked out as six Class B state tournament bids will be decided tonight.

There were two state spots clinched on Monday with Gering’s 4-3 win over B-7 No. 1 seed Chadron.

Gering advances to the title game against Alliance, but Alliance automatically made state as the host team. So Gering also clinches a state spot by placing second in this B-7 tourney.

Meanwhile, two former McCook tormentors will collide at Wahoo tonight.

B-4 No. 1 Wahoo — which blanked MNB earlier this season — will meet No. 2 Seward who bumped MNB from last year’s Class B tourney.

The Seward-Wahoo winner advances to play Pleasant Dale for that B-4 area championship.

Other tourneys continue with B-1 No. 1 Nebraska City and No. 3 Beatrice meeting in Auburn. Beatrice blasted No. 2 Hickman 13-2 Monday but still needs two wins over N.C. to make state.

In B-2 at Springfield, defending Class B champ Waverly earned a title shot with Monday’s 10-0 win over No. 1 Springfield.

Waverly entered as the No. 7 seed and now needs two wins over No. 2 Omaha Roncalli. Roncalli has roughed up its last two tourney foes, 29-0.

B-3 in Blair still features three teams competing today. No. 3 Bennington plays No. 6 Mount Michael for a shot at No. 2 Blair.

B-5 at Wayne features a similar scenario involving three teams.

No. 1 West Point tangles with No. 4 Lakeview while No. 2 O’Neill awaits the winner.