SIDNEY - For the first time in five years the Sidney High School football team will compete in the Nebraska School Activities Association state playoffs.

The Red Raiders (8-1), coming off a regular season finale victory over Alliance on Friday night, 56-20, are the No. 4 seed in the Class C-1 bracket and host No. 13 Gothenburg (6-3) at Weymouth Field at 6 p.m. MDT on Friday. Sidney finished second in the Class C1-7 district. 

District champion Ogallala in the No. 10 seed and travels to No. 7 Auburn on Friday. 

Sidney qualifies for the postseason for the first time since 2018. They lost to Ord in the first round that season, 52-21. The last time Sidney advanced past the first round of the playoffs was in 2013 when they defeated Blair 36-26. The Raiders lost to Gretna in the next round. 

Sidney has never won a state championship. The lone football state title the City of Sidney owns came in 1986 when Sidney St. Pat's won the Class D2 state championship. They also finished runner-up in 1987.

The Swedes defeated Sidney in the regular season, 38-6, the last time the two teams played in 2021.

The Sidney, Gothenburg matchup will be carried live on News Channel Nebraska radio station, Cheyenne County Country (1340 AM, 95.7 FM, newschannelnebraska.com and the free NCN app).

Potter-Dix claimed their fourth consecutive district championship with a 51-15 win over South Platte in Potter on Friday.

The No. 3 Coyotes (8-0), appearing in the NSAA postseason for the fourth year in-a-row, hosts No. 14 Red Cloud (4-4) at 3:30 p.m. MDT on Friday. The game will air on News Channel Nebraska radio station, 1043 KIMB (104.3 FM, 1043kimb.com and the free NCN app). 

Potter-Dix lost to Pawnee City in the Class D6 quarterfinals a season ago. The Coyotes finished runner-up in 2021. This year's senior class won 32 regular season games and never lost a regular season game.

In Class D1, No. 14 Bridgeport (7-2) travels to No. 3 Crofton (9-0) on Friday. Kickoff on News Channel Nebraska radio station, 987 The Big Boy (98.7 FM, thebigboy987.com and the free NCN app) is set for 2 p.m. MDT.

No. 13 Scottsbluff (5-4) will play at No. 4 York (7-2) in the first round of the Class B playoffs at 6 p.m. MDT on Friday.

NSAA Playoff Brackets: