So there's 2 teams from West in Class B who can compete. What about the other 5 classes?
I'm not sure what you consider "west". There really are no schools "west" in class A. Kearney and North Platte are as far west as it gets. Kearney can obviously compete. They beat Central down in Lincoln last year. I would imagine they have a pretty good shot to be competitive this year based on how their season has gone and what they were able to do in football with some of the same athletes.
Just off the top of my head I know of these....
Chadron was in the finals 4 straight years I think from 2007-2010. Might have been a 3rd place game in there though. That would be class C. Regardless, that was 4 years in a row where they played all 3 days at state.
Alliance won class B in 2001. They have made two trips since then, beating Platteview I think last year and then losing to state champ Gretna. That would be class B. Gering and McCook have also had similar one or two year flashes. Those would also be class B. Granted, 2001 was a long time ago.
Paxton was runner up about 5 years ago in class D. I also remember them losing to High Plains either the year before or the year after in overtime. That was a fun game to be at.
Southern Valley won it in 2013. That would have been class C2 probably. They went on a run of 3 or 4 straight trips to Lincoln after that, though I don't think they were as competitive the following years. That 2013 team was really good.
NP St Pats made a run from 2010-2013 or 2011-2014 where they were in the state tourney 4 years in a row and competed well. I don't think they ever won it but I remember them destroying Ponca one year and then losing a close game to LHNE in the semis.
One year Mike Daum brought Kimball down to Lincoln and they won their first round game, then I think lost to Wayne by a handful. Those who follow college basketball are surely familiar with Mike Daum.
I'm not as familiar with the class D schools at west, but at quick glance of the NSAA website I found the following
-Cody Kilgore won D2 in 2002
-Hay Springs beat St Marys in 2009 and Giltner in 2010 down at state. Class D2
-Mullen won it last year (but again, what do you consider west?) Mullen is definitely not panhandle, but certainly out state Nebraska.
-Bridgeport played Battle Creek to a 5 point game in 2015
-Cambridge won it in 2004
-Dundy County played GACC tough last year.
Not saying the west is "better". Just saying historically there have consistently been teams from the west in all classes that can compete down in Lincoln. This year it looks like there will be fewer teams from the west, and that is fine.
