Jeff Wolf-Kearney
Official JEFF WOLF-OFFICIAL KEARNEY A basketball official for 39 years starting in 1976 and a football referee for 26 seasons ending in 2003, Jeff Wolf was selected to work championship games in all 20 state basketball tournaments he officiated. The Gothenburg native, who graduated from Kearney State in 1980, refereed five state football finals. After […]
Bill Fitzgerald-Fremont
Contributor BILL FITZGERALD-CONTRIBUTOR FREMONT A coach and athletic director at Louisville and Fremont, Bill Fitzgerald was active in the national and Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, the Nebraska School Activities Association, the Nebraska Coaches Association and their governing boards. A graduate of Auburn High School and Peru State College, he began his educational career […]
Mark Watt-Lincoln Southwest
Coach MARK WATT-COACH LINCOLN SOUTHWEST When Mark Watt retired as the Silver Hawks first softball coach in 2021, his 579 victories over 20 seasons made him the winningest coach in his sport in Nebraska. Southwest was in 15 state tournaments, the first when it was a second-year school, and was state champion in 2008, 2009, […]
Mimi Ramsbottom-Elkhorn South
Coach MIMI RAMSBOTTOM-COACH ELKHORN SOUTH Girls’ golfers at Elkhorn and Elkhorn South thrived with Mimi Ramsbottom as their coach. Starting with a decade at Elkhorn before moving to Elkhorn South when it opened in 2010, her teams were Eastern Midlands Conference champions 15 years in a row, district champions 10 times, state champions in 2011, […]
Fred Petito-Millard North
COACH FRED PETITO-COACH MILLARD NORTH During the longest head coaching tenure in Class A football, 41 years, Fred Petito produced five state championship teams and the most recent Heisman Trophy winner from the state. The Chicago native, who came to Nebraska as a Hastings College athlete, coached the Mustangs from 1983 to 2023 after his […]
Dave Oman-Grand Island
COACH DAVE OMAN-COACH NORFOLK/GRAND ISLAND In a 51-year basketball coaching career that took him to seven public schools, the 2002 consensus state boys coach of the year racked up 598 wins and Class A state championship’s at Grand Island and Norfolk. Those were the last two title teams not from Lincoln or the Metro Conference. […]
Doug Goltz-Falls City Sacred Heart
Coach DOUG GOLTZ FALLS CITY SACRED HEART-COACH Since 1987, Doug Goltz’s teams in football, boys’ basketball and boys and girls track have produced 30 state championships. The first coach in boys’ basketball to reach 700 wins, his career record is 736-198 with an 11-0 record in state finals. His football teams are a combined 341-69 […]
Tim Wurth-Omaha Burke
Athlete TIM WURTH OMAHA BURKE-1976 Tim Wurth stood “a step above even the great players,” said his high school football coach, Larry Jacobsen. The 1976 Nebraska boys athlete of the year broke Metro Conference scoring records with 38 points in a game and 24 touchdowns and 156 points in an all-state seniior season. The three-year […]
Mark Traynowicz-Bellevue West
Athlete MARK TRAYNOWICZ BELLEVUE WEST-1980 Destined for the NFL, Mark Traynowicz made his mark in Nebraska in the early years of Bellevue West. A three-year, three-sport letterman, he was an all-state lineman in football, won the Class A heavyweight wrestling title as a senior, going 29-1, and qualified for the state track meet in the […]
Dale Ribble-Millard South
Athlete DALE RIBBLE MILLARD SOUTH-1989 A complete basketball player who could pass, shoot and defend, Dale Ribble earned all-state honors while leading Millard South to back-to-back Class A state championships. The 1989 squad was 25-0, Class A’s first undefeated team since 1960, and finished 23rd in USA Today’s national rankings. Ribble set a handful of […]