RPAC powerhouse gets best of rival leagues in tournament

The Republican Plains Activties Conference All-Stars are New West Classic champions after beating both Fort Kearny and Lou Platte Conference top teams in that tournament Wednesday evening. Champions appear from left. Frotn row: Breelle Miller of Cambridge, Alma’s Addison Neal, Kiley Hejtmanek of Maywood-Hayes Center, Southwest’s Bailey Truksa, Mataya Stubbs from Maxtell and Cambridge MVP Jacey Kent. Back row: coach Kim Barnett and Caylin Barnett from Southwest; Maywood-Hayes Center’s Alexis Wood and Olivia Hansen; Karlie Finley of Wallace, Medicine Valley’s Milla Farr and coach Lauren Carpenter from Cambridge. The NewWest Classic All-Star basketball games begin at 5 p.m. today.

Courtesy Photo

MINDEN, Neb. — Players from three district champion teams powered the RPAC to an impressive New West Classic volleyball title Wednesday evening.

Coach Kim Barnett of Southwest was fresh off her West Nebraska All-Star victory on Saturday.

Her four-year superstars Caylin Barnett and Bailey Truksa were ready to attack the New West tests on Wednesday.

Cambridge coach Lauren Carpenter knows about district titles as do Trojans Jacey Kent and Breelle Miller.

Add in three Maywood-Hayes Center 2022 state semifinalists — Lexi Wood, Olivia Hansen, Kiley Hejtmanek — and the RPAC proved too much for three other conferences competng in Minden.

The RPAC downed their semifinal foe Fort Kearny Conference, 3-1, then delivered a 3-0 finals sweep of Lou Platte Conference All-Stars.

Alma’s Addison Neal, Karlie Finley from Wallace, Maxwell’s Makayla Stubbs and Medicine Valley front-line enforcer Milla Farr completed this RPAC champion roster.

“We only had one day to practice together,” coach Kim Barnett told KCIX radio this morning which proved how state tourney-tested players know how to prepare.

McCook alums Jaci Meyers and Gracelynn Wiemers nearly helped power the Southwest Conference All-Stars into a finals showdown.

They dropped a five-set semifinal to the LouPlatte.

However, SWC recovered for a 2-1 consolation victory over the Fort Kearny Conference.

The New West All-Star basketball games are set for tonight at Minden High School and CL Jones Middle School.