Minute by minute, the bleachers filled as the announcements echoed throughout Lincoln Southeast’s (LSE) Prasch Gymnasium, urging spectators to squeeze tighter into the stands However, the long line out the door and the bustling hallways didn’t die down. No amount of security or supervision could keep the Lincoln community from attending one of the most publicized games of the high school basketball season.
Early last month, after both teams entered the night undefeated and ranked No. 1 and No. 2, the Lincoln Southeast gym quickly reached its 2,000-person capacity, forcing administrators to close the doors and turn spectators away. The overwhelming turnout for the Lincoln Southeast vs. Lincoln Southwest boys basketball game prompted school officials to implement additional security, supervision, and crowd-management measures to handle one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the season — the “Battle of the South”
LSE Athletic Director Kara Graham expected large crowds and knew how essential it was to properly prepare for the Lincoln Southeast vs. Lincoln Southwest boys basketball game.
Graham contacted the LPS District Athletic Director, J.J. Toczek, who then communicated with district security about the fact that both teams were undefeated and held No. 1 and No. 2 rankings at the time, knowing that Lincoln supporters would show up.
Graham also estimated attendance by checking other Lincoln high school teams’ schedules. If nearby teams were not playing that evening, their athletes and supporters might attend the rivalry game.
According to Graham, the plan was to have more supervision at all exits, police present and added help at concessions in order to better manage the crowds.
Leading up to the game, social media posts circulated on applications such as Instagram and TikTok. Video clips, graphics and in-game photos brought attention to the highly anticipated game.
“I don’t get on social media too much,” Graham said. “But when you’re in charge of safety and security, you have to see what the hype is about and prepare for those things.”
LSE Head Boys Basketball Coach Joseph Werning also noticed the growing media coverage for the game and recognized the excitement it created for his athletes.
“Kids work really hard for these opportunities and they were able to go out there and showcase their talents and put on a show for the Lincoln community,” Werning said.
An estimated 2,000 spectators filled the bleachers that night, which met the gym’s capacity. Once the gym was full, school officials closed the doors, leaving a line of hopeful attendees outside.
The wait in line lasted so long that some people who had bought tickets through GoFan, a website that sells tickets for high school events, were denied access. The gym filled up quickly, so some ticket buyers were met with refunds instead.
“The line of people [who] didn’t make it in the game, that’s terrible,” Graham said. “But for me it just means that high school athletics in Nebraska, they’re back, so to speak.”
The large turnout reflects. not only social media, but also the level of talent across the season’s Lincoln teams.
According to Nebraska Preps, as of week 11, computer ratings that show sports teams’ stats rank three Lincoln teams in the top 10 of Nebraska Class A Boys Basketball.
Graham noted that strong teams often lead to stronger community investment in the season’s success.
Increased attention can lead to added pressure, but according to Coach Werning, “pressure’s a privilege.” He also said all high school athletes should get the opportunity to play in front of a large crowd.
Atmospheres like this can yield a more fun and memorable environment that once wasn’t possible for high school athletes.
“Obviously, media has changed,” Werning said. “[When I was in high school] everything used to go through the Journal Star and local newspapers.”
The in-game highlights, photos and public media discussions about high school basketball on social media is a resource Werning wishes he had as a student athlete.
In his years of coaching, Werning has noticed a trend of sports media content creation becoming more common. Even some of his former players and managers have contributed to the media attention on Lincoln teams.
Throughout the riveting match, photographs and videos were constantly being taken. The Knights had a good start but ultimately fell to the Silver Hawks, 76-69.
Both schools had full student sections that showed up and supported their teams.
“I feel like our student sections have been really good this year, which has been fun. Not just the [Southwest] game but other games as well,” Werning said.
According to Graham, both student sections “handled themselves very well”, aided by administrative oversight. While officials did not anticipate fights, ensuring a safe exit strategy remained a priority to eliminate this factor.
However, managing post game traffic presented an unexpected challenge. After consulting with police and district security, Graham decided to direct all attendees out the north doors of Prasch and restrict access to LSE hallways.
As this rivalry continues and the media coverage continues to evolve, administration, coaches and even athletes will experience the rising popularity of Nebraska high school sports differently. Successfully managing the pressures, attention and large crowds will remain an important part of supporting LSE athletics.
