Category: Great Moments, By sports

Cross Country

Jeralyn Poe

Lincoln North Star

Jeralyn is the second runner in Nebraska history to win four all-class gold medals at the State Cross Country meet.  She set the state 5000-meter cross country record (18.09) and was named the Nebraska Gatorade Runner of the Year in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.  She attends Michigan State, majoring in Earth Science/Meterology. She is a member of the Spartan cross country and track and field teams.

Wrestling

Great Moments, Wrestling:

  • 2004: “No. 1 Every Year”:
    Four-time wrestling champions Chris Oliver, 125-0 from Omaha Creighton Prep, and Jason Katusin, 139-5 from Springfield Platteview.
  • 2003: “Kingpins.”:
    Four-time state wrestling champions Dirk Desmond of Hebron (136-3), Kasey Kohl of Omaha Skutt (139-1) and Jake Rucker of Louisville (140-5. with 104 pins).
  • 2002: “Unbeaten, Untied Career”:
    Brett Allgood, Bennington, completed his high school career in 2002 without a single loss. and a record in his four years in NSAA sponsored competition with 140 wins, which placed him in that select group of only ten young men in the history of the sport to gain this elite status of being a four-time State Champion. He was also undefeated in club level competition during those same years. Brett was awarded the Guy Mytty Outstanding Senior Wrestler Award in Class C by the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association plus being named to their All Star team for the year 2002.
  • 2002: “Champion Every Year”:
    Todd Menelly, Omaha Skutt Catholic, joined that very elite group of four-time high school state wrestling champions. His high school record was 135 wins and only one loss, which was to Brett Allgood, another four time champ crowned in 2002. Todd received the Guy Mytty award for the outstanding Class A wrestler by the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association and was also selected for their all-star team.
  • 2000: “Shades of Dan Gable”:
    The 2000 state wrestling tournament wrapped up a phenomenal high school career for Brad Metzler of Omaha Westside High School. He became the first Nebraska high school wrestler to complete four consecutive seasons undefeated. This also placed him in that elite group of four-time state champions.
  • 1998: “Pin Master”:
    A career of record-setting wrestling wins by pin by David Miller of Kearney during 1995-98. His state records: Most pins season (36), career (120), state tournament (13), consecutive (41). He also holds the Class A record for most career victories (141).
  • 1995: “Wrestling History”:
    Cousins Don and Ken Nordhues of Greeley both won fourth individual state championships in 1995.

Volleyball

Great Moments, Volleyball:

  • 2005: “Volleyball Aces”:
    The Columbus Scotus volleyball team’s state record winning streak reached 115 matches before a loss in the 2004 state championship match to Lincoln Lutheran. The Shamrocks’ last loss was in the 2000 state final when they lost to Central City. After that, the Shamrocks went 29-0 for three straight years and were 28-0 entering the match with Lincoln Lutheran.

Track & Field

Great Moments, Track & Field:

  • 2014: “To Close to Call”:

    Darren & Damon Schmadeke of Albion High School

    The Schmadeke twins finished in a 1-2 photo finish (Darren at 22.65 and Damon at 22.66 seconds) in the Class C 200 meter dash at the 1991 Track State Championships.  Their efforts were a part of the Class C state title secured by the team.

  • 2006: “Robert Rands, Bellevue East, and The Jump that beat THE Jump”:
    Just as we’ve touted Gale Sayers’ 1961 long jump record leap of 24-10 1/2 as a great moment in high school athletics, we are just as eager for the athlete who broke that record to be elevated to similar status. The honor goes to Robert Rands, a 2005 Bellevue East graduate, for his 25-feet, 1/4-inch jump in March, 2005, to break the NFL star’s 44-year-old record, and for his 24-11 1/4 that replaced the Sayers’ state meet record.
  • 2004: “Lift Off”:
    Grand Island Central Catholic pole vaulters Gable Baldwin and Jenny Green setting state records (16-4, 13-3, respectively) at the Central Nebraska Track Championships and state meet records (16-0, 13-0) in 2003.
  • 2002: “A Track & Field Machine”:
    Tony Little, the one-man track team from Mullen, won the 220, long jump, and triple jump and came in second in the 100-yard dash to score all of Mullen’s 38 points in the 1977 State meet to win the Class D state championship single-handedly for his school. Runner-up Cambridge followed by four points.
  • 2001: “Achievement of the Century”:
    Gale Sayers’ 24-10 1/2 long jump in 1961 state track meet, coming on his last jump in a duel with Lincoln High’s Bobby Williams, continues to rank as one of this state’s best achievements in high school sports. Now 40 years later, it hasn’t been seriously challenged for the state record.
  • 1999: “A Century of Gold”:
    The state track meet, which recently passed its 100th year, is the longest standing high school championship event. The state track meet has produced great entertainment in those 100 years and the Hall of Fame chooses to honor the event for its 100 plus “Great Moments” by saluting those who directed this great meet. In the last 40 years of the century: Charlie Foster, Burton (Bud) Feaster, Willa Scudder, Merle Bauer, Tom Hallstrom, Rex Jones and Duane Haith.
  • 1999: “Barrier Breakers”:
    The pole vault is one high school event which has a measuring stick to specifically identify when an athlete “takes it to the next level.” A Great Moment came when the following athletes were the first over the vaulting bar at the even-foot levels.

    Boys
    12 Feet – John (Choppy) Rhodes, Ansley, 12-0, 1922.
    13 – Merlin (Beanie) Lawrence, Alliance, 13-3/4, 1958
    14 – Randy Reeves, Omaha Benson, 14-0, 1965.
    15 – Bill Lauer, North Platte, 15-1¼, 1971.
    16 – Bump Novacek, Gothenburg, 16-0, 1985.

    Girls
    11 – Jaime Volkmer, Kearney Catholic, 11-8, 1999.

  • 1998: “Awesome 800”:
    State record run of 1:51.7 by Ryan Barrows, York, in the 800 Meters at 1997 State Track and Field Championship Meet, beating a 20-year-old record many believed would be good for another 20 years.
  • 1997: “Miracle Mile”:
    1947 State Track Meet, Class A mile run between Marvin Zimmerman, Nebraska City, and Bill Mountford, Red Cloud, a meeting of talented athletes that captured the attention of track and field that season and remains even after 50 years one of the great high school head-to-head competition of all time of any sport. Mountford’s winning time was, of course, a state record 4:26.2. 1997. After 58 years, they meet again.
  • 1995: “Fast 100”:
    Hastings College Invitational’s 100-yard dash in 1961 produced five runners all at 10 seconds or faster, led by Bob Williams of Lincoln High at :09.5. Kent McCloughan of Broken Bow, Steve Regan of Hastings, Tom Millsap of Grand Island, Doug McArthur of Hastings and Allan Wingert of Arapahoe followed.

Swimming & Diving

Great Moments, Swimming & Diving:

  • 2015: “Jacob Molacek”:

    Jacobs record-setting performance in the 2014 Nebraska State High School Swimming and Diving Championships included his becoming the fastest swimmer in Nebraska Boys High School Swimming history in every event except two.  He became the first boy in US. high school swimming history to break 53 seconds in the 100 yd. breast stroke, and being both a two individual event state champion and a two relay event state champion, resulted in his achieving four gold medals while setting six state records and one national record.

  • 2011: “Record After Record”:

    Shannon Guy, Millard West

    Shannon’s final state swim meet performance was one for the record books, not because she won the same event four

    years in a row (a great feat in itself), but because she lowered the state record in the 100-yard butterfly each year. Her times: freshman 56.20, sophomore 56.15, junior 55.71 and senior 55.05.

    Coach Tracy Stauffer’s research indicates this has never been done previously in swimming.