2012 In Review

The calendar year ended with a form of redemption for Kimball, as the Longhorns pounded Hershey on December 14--nine months after the Panthers knocked them out of playoff contention in the 2011-12 district finals.

It was a year of emotion and accomplishment: a new crop of Kimball starters capturing the school’s sixth consecutive WTC title, their first win over Chadron in perhaps two decades, Potter-Dix’s Ty Ottoson repeatedly topping 30 points per game, Longhorns’ head coach Bruce Tjosvold’s 100th win, the steady leadership of Banner County’s Jordan Knaub, that 51-50 loss the Longhorns suffered in Bridgeport, an undefeated start to the 2012-13 season for Kimball and more.

Tjosvold earned his 100th win in late January--a physical series of bumps and bruises, parries and thrusts on Mitchell’s hardwood that wound up in the Longhorns’ favor, 68-63.

“It was a good win,” he said afterward--after congratulations from traveling Kimball fans and some good natured ribbing from his players, some of whom referenced the pants he ripped during a series of frantic, late game gyrations during the Gordon-Rushville match.

It took some time to adjust to Mitchell’s tempo and pressure. But, Tjosvold said, “when we got Mike [Daum] out on the wing, it opened up Boo and Dalton.”

Brent Bussinger--“Boo” and Dalton Lockwood combined for 27 points on the night, joining Daum and Jake Reader in double figures.

At the WTC Kimball crushed Bridgeport by 40 points in the semi-finals and pummeled Gordon-Rushville 69-33 in the title game, taking home their sixth consecutive tournament championship.

“A lot of people didn’t think we could do it,” Trevan Hinton acknowledged after the blowout performance.

A few weeks later, in the subdistrict finals, Hinton and Kimball would again pull off a surprising win, this time a 45-43 nail-biter over Chadron.

The Cardinals edged ahead in the game’s waning moments. Working deliberately, Tjosvold’s squad slipped the ball to Daum with 1:09 to play. But the super soph—he notched 15 points in the first half—bounced it off the rim.

As worried groans began to escape the lips of Kimball supporters, Hinton came flying to the rescue, hovering above the melee below, snatching the ball mid air and popping it back in the net. Seconds later, he tapped it away from an unwary Chadron guard and rushed back down court alone. With 31 seconds left, Kimball finally led 45-43.

Ottoson began the year by racking up 31 against South Platte, backed by Bryant Knigge’s 15. In the MAC tournament opener, Ottoson smacked Garden County with 34 points and 19 rebounds. At the sub-district finals, however, he and his mates bumped into Sam Schumacher and the Leyton Warriors.

Leyton’s 63-36 win was their fourth of the Coyotes over the course of the season. Schumacher’s 34 points completed a total of 124 in games against Potter-Dix. Yet it was the Coyotes who took control early on. Two consecutive Schumacher three point bombs flipped an 8-4 deficit, however. At the end of a hard fought first quarter, Leyton clung to a one point lead.

Potter-Dix could not answer. The Warriors closed every avenue to a comeback in the second frame, allowing just two points. They never looked back, despite a strong showing by Luke Johnson during a third quarter rally.

Johnson was the only Coyote in double figures in their subdistrict loss. He scored 15 points.