Class C
1. Broken Bow
2. Minden
3. Elkhorn Valley
4. Battle Creek
5. Wilber/Clatonia
6. Central City
7. Milford
8. Fillmore Central
9. Crofton/Bloomfield
10. O’Neill
Dual Team Rankings
1. Broken Bow
2. Battle Creek
3. Minden
4. Wilber/Clatonia
5. Milford
6. Fillmore Central
7. Crofton/Bloomfield
8. Central City
9. O’Neill
10. Elkhorn Valley
The returning champs, Broken Bow, check in at the top spot. So much returning talent in the line-up makes the Indians an easy early favorite. A couple of new teams to Class C check in at 2 and 3 respectively. Minden comes down from Class B bringing with them talented athletes that have scored state tournament points in the class above, so they get the nod. Elkhorn Valley is intriguing as they bring a pile of experience and point scorers from Class D up to Class C. We’ll see how the jump translates. Battle Creek brings back 8 state qualifiers led by returning champion Ayden Wintz so they are in at number 4 on the tournament side but get the nod to #2 when it comes to duals. Wilber/Clatonia checks in at number 5 in our pre-season rankings with returning sophomore champion Zaiyahan Ornelas leading the way. Central City is our 6th ranked team. The fighting Garfield’s finished just outside the top ten last season, but
return a strong group and should be able to punch up in the ranks. Milford’s 5 returning
qualifiers has them checking in at number 7. Graduation will have a bit of on impact on Fillmore Central, who had a great state tournament last year finishing third. With 47 returning team points from 4 now seniors, clearly the Panthers have the bullets to achieve another top 5 finish but we’ll rank them here at #8. Crofton/Bloomfield and O’Neill come in at number 9 and 10 respectively. The Warriors return 6 state qualifiers, led by state champion Robbie Fisher. Typing that here makes their ranking seem too low, so don’t be surprised to see them climb as the season gets started and we get a better picture. Meanwhile the Eagles from O’Neill have a strong senior team and will start the season with 2022 state medalist Dylan Parks back in the line-up. Parks missed the entire 2022-23 season due to injury. O’Neill will be led by senior Wyoming recruit, John Alden.
Duty calls, and a ranking to start the season had to be determined, but with this rater, much of the analysis to make this determination came down to splitting hairs and gut feelings. It seems clear Broken Bow is the the team to beat. But, as you examine really any of the teams from numbers 2-10, you could make a strong case to put them
in any order you want. This should make for a great team race in Class C as who knows…Maybe one of these teams could even catch the Indians.