1999

Great Moments, 1999

• Football: “End of an Era”:
  Six-man football, the salvations for years for the sport in small schools, was invented in Nebraska in 1934, spread across the country in rural America and flourished for most of the rest of the 20th century, until school consolidations provided schools with larger enrollments and less need for the six-man game. The Hall of Fame inducted its inventor, Stephen Epler of Chester in 1995, and chooses today to honor the sport once more by saluting the two teams playing last November in the final six-man state championship sponsored by the Nebraska School Activities Association–Milligan and Benedict. Milligan won game at Memorial Stadium by the score of 35 to 28. The teams are honored equally here today for making their contribution to high school sports history.

  Team rosters:

  Benedict: Eric Allen Nate Wittgren Josh Larkin Adam Watson Stuart Nickel Jacob Schall Justin Schoch Brian Burhoop Nate Doremus

  Gregg Heiden Gertjan DeVries Andy Bowman James O’Rourke Reggie Wittgren Joe Friesen Nick Lott Ryan Doremus Coach Mark Rotter Assistant Coach Phil Burhoop

  Milligan: Matt Filipi Corey Koca Arich Uldrich Tyler Bartels Brent Kassik Dustin Filipi Jeff Havel Jon Halama

  Tim Uldrich Jon Vavra-Fong Jeff Graham Lance Lock Corey Vavra Dan Hadherny Jason Pribyl Mike Uldrich Coach Dean Filipi Assistant Coach Craig Rafert

• Track & Field: “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.
• Track & Field: “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.

• Volleyball:  “Decade of Dominance”                                                                      Bellevue West dominated Class A volleyball tournament like no one else since 1989, winning eight state championships (including a state record six in a row), a record 12 straight years of qualifying for the state tournament, plus numbers initial state records.