By Marisa Dawson

The Bennington Badgers advanced to their first-ever Class B state championship game with a thrilling 55-52 victory over Lincoln Pius X in the semifinals on Friday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.

The win keeps Bennington undefeated at 27-0 this season and sets up a rematch against Gretna East in the Class B title game tonight. The Badgers previously defeated the Griffins earlier in the season, adding confidence as they prepare for the championship.

Down by five entering the fourth quarter, Bennington flipped the script with a strong defensive stand and timely execution. Head coach John O’Connor recalled the pivotal timeout: “In the timeout, we said, we’re about ready to go on a 5-0 run… We just said we have to lock in on defense, go execute and take great shots on offense. I think we did that and were able to just take a deep breath, a lot of time left and just go and execute.”

O’Connor (pictured below) noted the team’s defensive intensity in the final minutes. “You just saw them dig in and know we had to get stops. We talked a lot about the different timeouts and the girls kept saying, defense wins championships and that’s what we had to do to get it done.”

Key contributions came where Bennington battled Pius X’s rebounding dominance. “Being able to get a couple offensive rebounds there too at the end,” O’Connor said. “Reese Almquist got a huge offensive rebound. Allie John got a huge offensive rebound.”

Sophomore Allie John sealed the game with a critical rebound in the final seconds, while Skylar Johnson & Harper Bohaboj secured vital free-throw points. Junior Haydin Jackson highlighted those moments: “Skylar & Harper’s free throw making and Allie John’s rebound- that really sealed it.”

Bennington’s success stems from their motto: TEAM (toughness, effort, attitude, and mindfulness). O’Connor emphasized the leadership of their two seniors, Reese Almquist and Regan Bluhm, saying their impact “goes way beyond the stat book, way beyond the core.” He added, “You won’t hear more positive things said about two senior leaders, than Reese and Regan.”

Junior Skylar Johnson expressed the team’s excitement: “We’re all super excited; we’ve been working for this moment all year. We’ve never made it this far for Bennington, so it’s just a super exciting experience.” She added confidence from the earlier win over Gretna East heading into tonight’s game. “I think we’re pretty confident. Last time we played them, our shots were falling and we’ve been working really hard this tournament, so I’m excited to see how we do.”

Jackson echoed the historic significance: “We’re going to the [Class B] state championship. I mean that’s huge. We’ve never done it in Bennington history… That’s what we’ve wanted to do since the beginning of the season. We knew that was our main goal and just to be able to actually go to the state championship is huge.” Jackson was enthusiastic about the chance to play another game with her team, saying, “We’re just so beyond grateful that we get to play with each other one more time.”

Both Johnson and Jackson had plenty of thanks to give for their successes leading up to this point. Johnson said, “I credit all my teammates, my coaches, and my parents for helping me and working hard.” Jackson shared similar influences, adding, “My teammates, my coaches and obviously my support system- my family… But especially my teammates- they’re great!”

For O’Connor, the milestone is about community pride in a growing but tight-knit town. “This community is growing, but it’s still a small town community,” he shared. O’Connor also noted how these girls have been brought up in the basketball community right here in Bennington, many going through the Bennington Basketball Association programs. “They’re homegrown. They’re Bennington. They have pride in their community and I’m just so proud of them.”

He praised standout performances, including junior Harper Bohaboj: “Yeah, she’s clutch. She shines in the biggest moments and she rises to the challenge. And she’s just a competitor, so it’s just fun to watch.”

Looking ahead to the championship against Gretna East (an Eastern Midlands Conference rival), O’Connor is cautious but optimistic. “Coach Wade, he’ll have them obviously well prepared and it’ll be a battle and we’re just excited to be there. But we’ll enjoy this one tonight and then get ready for another one tomorrow,” he said last night.

The Badgers’ journey marks a historic first for the program in Class B. With only two seniors, the future looks bright, but as O’Connor noted, the focus remains on the present: “Eventually, we’ll really miss these seniors and their leadership, but right now, we’re going to enjoy the heck out of this one and be together for one more game and one more day.”

Tip-off for the Class B championship between Bennington and Gretna East is set for Saturday evening at 6:15 p.m.

The Bennington Dance Team performed again at half-time, drawing thunderous applause from the packed crowd.