The Cozad Haymakers will square off against the Minden Whippets at 7:45 p.m. on Friday. Cozad is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 68.3 points per game this season.
Cozad is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Nebraska's top teams: Ogallala, who was ranked first at the time (Cozad was ranked 13th). The Haymakers were outmatched by the Indians and fell 79-48. The Haymakers' loss signaled the end of their seven-game winning streak.
Chayden Hoffmaster
| 01/31/26 vs Ogallala | 47% |
| 01/30/26 vs Gothenburg | 56% |
| 01/27/26 vs Holdrege | 53% |
| 01/22/26 @ Lexington | 55% |
| 01/20/26 vs Amherst | 62% |
The losing side was boosted by Chayden Hoffmaster, who shot 47% from the field to rack up 18 points and six boards. He is on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 47% in the last five games he's played. Another player making a difference was Julien Davis, who posted six points and six rebounds.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Minden, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 52-49 win over Broken Bow on Thursday. The victory continues a trend for the Whippets in their matchups with the Indians: they've now won three in a row.
Minden's win came from a few key players that Cozad will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Traelin Christensen, who went 7-for-13 en route to 18 points and five assists. Luke Craig was another key player, shooting 64% from the field on his way to 15 points and four blocks.
Minden was working as a unit and finished the game with 15 assists. They are 10-4 when they've passed the ball that well.
Minden's win bumped their record up to 11-6. As for Cozad, their defeat dropped their record down to 18-2.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Cozad has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 29.6 boards per game. However, it's not like Minden struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 32 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Cozad against Minden in their previous meeting back in February of 2025, as the team secured a 75-31 victory. In that contest, the Haymakers amassed a halftime lead of 36-12, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
