A mix of clouds and sun. High 94F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Partly cloudy skies. Low 63F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.

A mix of clouds and sun. High 94F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Partly cloudy skies. Low 63F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.

(KMAland) -- A memorable state tournament run led the Ashland-Greenwood boys to a state title and earned the Bluejays the No. 7 spot in the KMA Sports Top 50 Team Countdown. 

Coach Jacob Mohs' team roared to a 3-0 start with victories by an average margin of 34 points per game. 

“So far, so good for our season,” Mohs said. “We wanted to stay healthy and get off to a good start. That’s what’s happened so far for us.”

The Bluejays suffered an overtime loss to eventual Class B state champion Roncalli Catholic on December 28th. That would be their only loss of the season.

They rolled into the postseason at 21-1 and cruised to Lincoln with postseason wins over Conestoga, Lincoln Christian and Minden by 40, 17 and 39. Ashland-Greenwood's state qualification was their second in three years and came after losing in the district finals the year before. 

"When we started the year, we had high aspirations," said Mohs. "You hope to make it through the year healthy and strong. We were fortunate for the most part."

"We just had a great overall season and got better each week. The kids did a good job of focusing, improving and getting better. We are excited about the opportunity to get back to Lincoln."

The Bluejays opened the Class C1 State Tournament with a 55-38 win over Ogallala to set up a state semifinal showdown with Kearney Catholic.

A record-breaking performance transpired in the semifinal as Ashland-Greenwood senior Cale Jacobsen would not be denied.

Jacobsen -- a Nebraska walk-on -- poured a Class C1 record 43 points in the Bluejays' 62-55 win. 

"He's amazing," Mohs said. "It's that simple. He's an outstanding player. Most of the year, he's deferred and been an excellent passer. But when the time comes for him to score, he can do that, too. We wanted him to make plays. Today, it was his scoring. And that worked." 

Jacobsen's historic performance was gratifying for him after watching the 2021 State Tournament on crutches while recovering from ACL surgery. 

"It means everything," he said. "We have worked for this. I had a whole extra year to think about this. I had to watch state basketball in the stands last year with a knee brace. I've dreamed about this for a while."

The win put Ashland-Greenwood into the state title game against Auburn. 

The Bulldogs entered the contest eyeing a rare fourth consecutive state title. The two squads staged a back-and-forth affair, but Ashland-Greenwood grabbed the 36-33 victory thanks to a game-winning 3-pointer from Evan Shepard at the buzzer. 

“I kicked it out, and it looked good off Evan’s hands,” Jacobsen said. “We shot together everyday in practice and before practice on the shooting machine, and it was one of those that looked good when it came off his hand. Seeing it through the net, I was really happy for him and for all of our guys. Everybody will remember that forever.”

Jacobsen's memorable state tournament -- season-long production -- earned him the KMAland Nebraska Player of the Year honor. Jacobsen averaged 16.8 points, 6.4 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game for the state champions." 

“I think we knew from the beginning that we had the skill and the dudes to compete at the highest level,” Jacobsen said. “It was just a matter of everyday working on building really strong habits and a consistent base to lean on when we get into those pressure situations.”

Max Parker and Brooks Kissinger were also key contributors to the Bluejays' unforgettable 2021-22 season. 

48. Nodaway Valley/West Central Valley Boys Soccer

40. Falls City Sacred Heart Boys Basketball

11. Falls City Sacred Heart Girls Basketball

At KMA, we attempt to be accurate in our reporting. If you see a typo or mistake in a story, please contact us by emailing kmaradio@kmaland.com.

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.