It was the regular season finale with a lot on the line in Sabetha Tuesday.  However the Bluejays got a home sweep over county and Big 7 rival Nemaha Central as the Sabetha girls won their 12th game in a row in a blowout and the Sabetha boys completed a season sweep of the Thunder while helping Coach Scott Burger to his 500th career victory in 29 years at Sabetha.  

GIRLS = Sabetha 42, Nemaha Central 19

Nemaha had won by three at home against Sabetha in early January and already clinched another Big 7 League girls title.  But after scoring at least 40 points in every game this season, the Thunder fell flat with a early tipoff and nine first quarter turnovers, which led to a 13-2 defecit, and never recovered.  The loss cost Nemaha Central (17-3) the number one seed in the Marysville Sub-State, which will now be Pleasant Ridge who beat McLouth Tuesday night and only has two losses on the season.

Sabetha didn't make any three-pointers in grinding out a comeback win against Royal Valley on Saturday, but combined for 10 triples from five different players in their 12th straight win on senior night Tuesday.  The Jays held Nemaha to just two made shots and led 23-6 at halftime and built the lead to 18 while allowing just five made Thunder baskets entering the fourth quarter.  

Skylar McAfee had 13 points while Hillary Krebs added 11 as #9 ranked Sabetha pulled even with Nemaha Central with a 17-3 record heading into 3A Sub-State where they will be the number two and three seeds and could now meet in the semifinals next week at Marysville.  #1 ranked Nemaha Central finished 12-2 in the Big 7 and 17-3 overall dropping two of their last four games and was led by sophomore Cassidy Corby with seven points off the bench as no other player made more than one basket in the contest.        

BOYS = Sabetha 37, Nemaha Central 28

This game was a lot closer than the final score, which was the largest margin of the night as Sabetha made six of eight free throws in the closing minutes to stretch the lead.  The Jays led 13-5 after one quarter but only 17-15 at halftime.  Nemaha Central worked hard to get a 22-20 lead in the final minute of the third quarter before Marcus Funk connected on a four-point-play to give Sabetha the lead for good.  Funk hit another big trey early in the fourth quarter and Nemaha committed two turnovers after pulling within 30-28 with 1:34 remaining.  

Bryce Uphaus had 10 off the bench for Nemaha, but Matt Baumgartner was the only other Thunder player to make more than one field goal and scored eight points.  Nemaha Central finished 8-6 in the Big 7 which is third in the League while Sabetha ended up 12-2.  Both teams were 14-5 overall coming into the regular season finale and by vitue of the win, the Bluejays earned the second seed behind MH-MA in the 3A Sub-State at Marysville next week.

Jesse Burger had 12 points to lead all scorers as he not only celebrated senior night with his dad and coach before the game, but also celebrated after by helping Scott Burger chalk up win number 500 in his 29th season at Sabetha.  That's an average of more than 17 wins per season.  "Honestly, I had no idea or even processed win number 500," the humble Coach Burger said.  "But I told the boys after the game that a home win on senior night and against our rival Nemaha Central to end the regular season, sure seemed like the perfect night for it to happen."  

Citizens State Bank and Trust Company of Hiawatha "Players to Bank On:"

Skylar McAfee and Marcus Funk of Sabetha