‘Earned not given’: St. Cecilia girls basketball classifying up to C2

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - After making a run to the state title game in Class D1 a season ago, St. Cecilia girls basketball will move up to play in Class C2 during the 2023-24 campaign.

“We’re up a class, but we’ve had success in the past,” St. Cecilia senior Tatum Krikac said. “Our team ID is, ‘Earned not given.’ Even though we’ve had success in the past, we still have to work hard every day and everything and earn it.”

It’s a classification the Hawkettes are familiar with, having won three state championships in a four-year stretch between 2019-22. The 2021 season ended in a state runner-up finish in Class C1 for the program.

“The bar is set pretty high, but at the same time our kids have to realize that those expectations are set and they’re achieved through hard work,” St. Cecilia girls basketball coach Greg Berndt said. “They’re not just given to you because you have St. Cecilia on your chest. We have a long ways to go. Every season can go a lot of different directions. We know we’re not going to get anybody overlooking us, so we’ve got to bring our best every night if we want to be successful.”