“One of the reasons we are going to the holiday tournament (in Lincoln) is to make sure we are battle-tested. This will help the younger players experience that type of competition and atmoshpere. We hope it makes us a better team at the end of the year." -- Coach Anderson
One reason Wahoo was invited to the Prep Classic was the fan support. In a letter to the editor following the tournament, Derek Andersen of Pershing Auditorium complimented the Wahoo fans.

Louie Wotipka and Greg Hain share a smile during the Lincoln Tournament. Although the tournament produced a loss, the Warriors still had a lot to smile about.
VALIDATION

The 1994 Warriors were no different from the previous Wahoo teams that had experienced so much success in that their success was always called into question due to what was perceived as a “weak schedule.”  The 1994 team was different in that it was presented an opportunity to quiet the critics.  Of course the biggest opportunity was the inclusion of Wahoo in the Lincoln Prep Classic Tournament, a tournament that would provide both Nebraska Class A competition as well as competition from out of state teams with much larger enrollments than Wahoo.  Capitol Conference foe Valley would also help Wahoo’s “competition quotient” as the Terriers would perform well and bring an impressive 9 – 1 record into the Capital Conference Tournament. In addition, Grand Island Central Catholic had been added to the regular season schedule and would face the Warriors in February with an 18 – 1 record and a #4 ranking.  The domination of Wahoo over its other opponents in the ’93-’94 season would do little to enhance the 1994 team’s claim to greatness – other Wahoo teams had done the same and the gaudy beat-down scores seemed to just corroborate the “weak schedule” claims.  Defeating a Valley team with such an impressive record wouldn’t hurt, but Wahoo had claimed such victories in the past.  A win over GICC would be the equivalent of winning a state tournament game – a win over one of the top teams in Class B.  But Wahoo had many such victories in the past.  It was obvious from the start of the season that Wahoo’s biggest test would be the Prep Classic.  And no matter how much Coach Anderson tried to play down the “validation” factor, it was real.  The 1994 Warriors and the reputation of Wahoo’s previous championship teams would be judged to a great degree on how well Wahoo performed in the tournament.