Longhorns finish 19-8, reach fourth consecutive district finals

In a year that saw records fall by a junior, the Chase County girls’ basketball team counted on four seniors to set the tone.
The Longhorns went 19-8 and finished third in the SPVA conference.
CCS Head Coach Randy Longoria said the senior players were critical to the team’s success.
Jordan Jablonski was the consummate point guard, according to Longoria.
Jordan was a “super ball handler who knew every set inside and out and was guaranteed to be in the right place at the right time,” Longoria said, adding she always defended the opponent’s best perimeter player and had a knack for shutting them down.
Jablonski had a team-high 59 assists, was second in steals with 56 and third in rebounds, pulling down 116 rebounds. Jablonski also averaged 5.5 points per game.
Jerzee Milner was the Longhorns’ two-guard.
As a three-year starter on varsity, Longoria said Milner has been capable of doing so many things: defender, scorer, rebounder, always the player with the responsibility to not allow ball-side corner catches on baseline out-of-bounds plays.
She was “simply indispensable,” Longoria said.
Milner’s scoring average of 5.8 was second on the team.
 Morgan Peterson elevated herself into a starting position at the three-guard spot and was such a dependable player across the board, Longoria said, whether it was as  a savvy passer, a solid three-point shooter or an artful scorer in the paint with a knack for scoring against bigger opponents.
“She was money down the stretch,” Longoria added.
Peterson averaged 4.6 points in December and January, but averaged to 9.4 points per game in February.
Peterson was second on the team in assists and third in scoring average with 5.7 points per game.
Longoria credited Lucy Spady for being a Dennis Rodman in orange and black.
“She battled and scrapped and fought for every rebound and pulled some down that literally left me shaking my head in amazement at her vertical and intensity. She was the first on the floor for a loose ball, the embodiment of a blue-collar player,” Longoria said.
Spady pulled down 65 offensive rebounds and 69 defensive rebounds, good enough to finish second on the team in total rebounds.
The seniors were joined in the starting lineup by junior Bryn McNair.
“With the help of her teammates, Bryn had a year that saw records fall in unprecedented numbers,” Longoria said.
McNair broke the 1,000-point barrier and set three different season records, points scored (634), free throws made (232), blocked shots (71), as well as setting the career record for blocked shots.
McNair led CCS with 23.5 points per game and 276 rebounds, 90 steals and 71 blocked shots.
Out of the team’s 27 games, only Jablonski and McNair played in all of them.
Freshman Landree McNair played in 24 games and junior Liz Reeves played in 23 games.
The group’s intensity on the defensive end of the court thrilled Longoria throughout the season.
Longoria said the defensive effort was his high point of the season.
“We allowed fewer than 30 points in eleven games, and another two opponents scored just 31. This team forged their way to success with man-to-man defense. I am so very proud of how they defended,” Longoria said.
Looking back, Longoria said he absolutely loved this team.
“I loved coaching them. I loved watching them play. I loved the player-coach associations that I was privileged to enjoy with them,” he said.
CCS started the season 5-1 with its loss coming at Sidney (19-8) Dec. 10, 50-53.
The Longhorns lost at home to 24-1 Bridgeport 51-57 in overtime, and, after taking runner up at the Sidney Holiday Tournament, went 3-2 heading into the SPVA tournament.
Chase County won its opening round game against Kimball, but dropped its semifinal game to North Platte St. Pat’s 35-36. The Longhorns bounced back with a third place finish thanks to a win over Hershey.
Following the tournament, Chase County closed out the regular season with five wins before a loss to Gering, 47-50.
Wins over Mitchell and Hershey gave CCS the subdistrict championship and set the Longhorns up in districts against Grand Island Central Catholic. Chase County’s season came to an end with a 35-48 loss to the Crusaders.
GICC won its state tournament first-round game Monday and advanced to the semifinals.
Gothenburg, which beat CCS 36-44 Jan. 14, also advanced to the Class C1 semifinals.
Bridgeport, seeded third in Class C2, will play its first tournament game Tuesday against Sutton.