Just needing two wins to make the 4A-Division II State tournament Nemaha Central came so close to heading to Pratt, but came up just shy in the end falling in a heartbreaking 2-1 game to Concordia in the Regional Championship after beating Smoky Valley 17-2 in the semifinals earlier in the day.

The day started off with the Nemaha Central Thunder dispatching Smoky Valley in the first game of the day notching the 17-2 win in four innings. Thunder tallied 17 runs on 13 hits and had everyone on the base pads at least once in the contest.

The Thunder got things rolling with a two-run bottom of the first behind an RBI single from Dustin Rottinghaus and an RBI double by Kurtis Niehues, taking the early 2-0 lead. Nemaha Central added four more runs in the second to lead it 6-0 after two frames. In the top of the third Smoky Valley tallied two runs to shave the lead down to four, using five hits to plate the two runs. In the bottom of the third the Thunder responded and put the game firmly in their favor plating seven runs on four hits and three walks in the inning and went on to add four more in the fourth to end the game as a two RBI double by Evan Hermesch ended the game in the fourth via run-rule as the Thunder won 17-2.

Multiple guys highlighted the offense for the Thunder in the 17-2 win as Dustin Rottinghaus was 3-4 with three runs scored, four RBI and a stolen base, while Niehues also had a three hit day going 3-3 with a double and two RBI and Hermesch posted four RBI going 2-3 at the plate. Andrew Oller also had a multi-hit game going 2-3. Neil Sudbeck pitched the first three innings, while Cody Rottinghaus pitched the fourth striking out the side in the inning.

With the win the Thunder moved one win away from the 4A-DII State tournament and would play Concordia who beat Chapman in the other semifinal, winning 16-1 in four innings. 

The Panthers and Thunder dual on the diamond proved to be a pitching and defensive low scoring affair. Nemaha Central threatened early to take a lead getting the first two runners on board, but failed to score in the top of the first, while Concordia loaded the bases in the top of the first with no-outs and failed to score, too.

Both teams had chances to score throughout the game but the pitchers, Dustin Rottinghaus for Nemaha Central and Skyler Hittle for Concordia would get a timely strikeout or the defensive behind them made a play to stop scoring threats.

Finally in the top of the sixth Nemaha Central broke through with a solo homerun by Niehues who sent it out over the left field wall, giving the Thunder 1-0 lead. The Thunder worked the action into the bottom of the seventh three outs away from the win but Concordia used three hits to plate two-runs and win in walk off fashion, tying the game on an RBI single and then ending the game on another RBI single, claiming the 2-1 win against Nemaha Central.

Dustin Rottinghaus on mound went six and 2/3 innings striking out nine, while giving up two runs on eight hits, while Hittle for Concordia went the distance for the Panthers giving up one run on four hits and two walks in seven innings. Offensively, Niehues went 2-3 with his solo homerun, while Devin Henry and Evan Hermesch each had a hit, also in the loss.

With the loss the Thunder wrapped up the season 12-8 on the year as Regional runner-ups.