Before attending a conference today on rural development, about 25 community leaders from across the state got a first-hand example Thursday.

Some may consider Ravenna the favorite to win the Class C-2 state title this week at the Nebraska State Volleyball Tournament.

The Bluejays will take a 25-7 record into their 1:30 p.m. match today at Lincoln East High School against Thayer Central (19-11). All seven of those losses came to state tournament teams: Sutton in Class C-2, Grand Island Central Catholic and St. Paul in Class C-1 and Aurora and Grand Island Northwest in Class B.

But Ravenna coach Korina Wick doesn't necessarily see her team as the favorite.

After more than two months of competition, the state volleyball tournament finally is upon us.

Once again, it's time to dust off the crystal ball and try to predict what will happen. It's a dirty job -- especially when the coach of a team you didn't pick gets in your face after winning the championship match -- but somebody's got to do it.

Ravenna lost its starting quarterback then its Class C-2 quarterfinal game to third-ranked Plainview on a cold and rainy November evening Monday.

Junior Josh Crowell, who ran for 302 yards last week in a win over Kearney Catholic, was knocked out of the game in the second quarter. And the Bluejays (8-3) turned the ball over three times in the second half without him, including twice inside the Plainview 10-yard line, while watching a two-point halftime lead turn into a 28-14 season-ending loss to the Pirates.

After record October rainfall, area aquifers are charging at a rapid rate, which could spell flooding trouble next year if there's a rainy spring. The Central Platte Natural Resources District is just completing its fall groundwater readings of selected wells across the district. Preliminary results indicate some well readings are near what was recorded last spring.

A strong fourth quarter helped Ravenna keep its head coach from kicking himself throughout the offseason.

After a failed fake punt gave Thayer Central new life in a Class C-2 first-round playoff game, the Bluejays immediately drove the field for the winning score.

The Ravenna defense then continued its masterful performance and stopped the Titans on their 17-yard line to preserve a 14-7 victory.

Thursday night was a tale of haves and have-nots, as Ravenna capped its regular season with a you-had-to-be-there 66-22 victory over Sandy Creek.

Freeze warnings were out Tuesday morning for Central Nebraska following a weekend where area rainfall was nearly 2 inches at some locations.

All it takes is a drive from tiny Sarpy County (241 square miles) across Nebraska to Cherry County (5,961 square miles, slightly larger than Connecticut) to see there's no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to Nebraska's counties. That doesn't just go for the size of those counties; it goes for the size of their boards, too. Stand before the county board in Hall, Buffalo or Adams County, and you'll face seven people.  Head east to Hamilton County, and you'll see just three. That could change next month, when Hamilton County residents vote on whether to increase their board's size to five members.

If you thought Ravenna's victory over Grand Island Central Catholic last weekend at the Holdrege Tournament was a fluke, you'd better think again.

The Class C-2 No. 1 Bluejays showed that by taking the Crusaders to the limit Thursday at Central Catholic High School. In the end, the Class C-1 No. 1 Crusaders were able to squeeze out a 25-16, 23-25, 25-21, 25-27, 19-17  victory.

Now in its fifth year, Nebraska's Junk Jaunt is no longer a new event. Most Central Nebraskans are familiar with the three-day, 300-mile garage sale, and many antique enthusiasts across the state are, too.

Ravenna is moving up to play with the big girls this weekend.

The Class C-2 No. 1 Bluejays will play in the first-ever Grand Island Central Catholic Invitational on Saturday. It's a tournament that's absolutely loaded with quality teams.

There's Class B No. 3, Grand Island Northwest (6-1), No. 5 Omaha Mercy (3-0) and No. 6 Aurora (7-1).

Then there's the host team, Class C-1 No. 1 Central Catholic (5-0) and Class B Lexington (2-2), the lone unrated team in the tournament.