KEARNEY, NE — There’s a different intensity to Kearney Catholic basketball practices right now.

The Stars don’t want a repeat of their first-round state tournament exits from the last two seasons.

“This week of practice last week going to state was maybe a little more lax week of practice," Sr. Brett Mahony said. "We were laid back and not going 100 percent, and I think that’s what ultimately got us.”

Brett Mahony is one of five senior starters and eight total seniors who remember last season’s 59-52 upset loss to seven-seed Wayne well. Coach Bob Langan says that group was lulled into complacency by blowout  wins in subdistrict and district games.

“I thought, maybe, we went down there and kind of expected to see the same thing and Wayne surprised us," Langan said. "So I think our guys are locked in this year ready to go.”

The three-seed Stars will see a familiar face in the Class C-1 quarterfinals: the six-seed Wayne Blue Devils.

“The seniors are pretty happy that we are able to get a chance to play them again," Mahony said. "Obviously, last year they beat us when we were the two-seed so we’re hoping we can pay them back this year.”

To do it, it’s likely Mahony will need to have a big game. He leads the team in points, rebounds and assists… and his coach says he’s ready for the big moment.

“He’s really good about getting other guys involved but he knows, probably at the end, he’s going to have to be the guy to make a basket for us,” Langan said.

The team goal since the start of the season is to win the state title. Accomplishing that would be a dream ending for eight seniors. 

“To be able to go like that, like your senior year riding off in the sunset, that would be pretty cool and that’s what we’re all hoping for,” Mahony said.