Rudy Stoehr – Lincoln
Offical Perhaps Nebraska’s most recognized basketball referee, Rudy Stoehr was often at the center of many state championships. A football referee as well, Stoehr officiated Nebraska high school basketball from 1963-89, working more than 1,000 games and more than 20 state tournaments. He also officiated in the Big Eight Conference for six years. An outstanding […]
Billy Southworth – Harvard
Athlete. 1910 Graduate. A small person whose hustling attitude in sports was noticeably during his school days and into professional baseball. Thirteen-year career in major league baseball with a lifetime batting average of .297. Batted .300 six different years. Managed in the majors for 13 years and his teams won 1044 and only once missed […]
Wes Shepard – Lincoln
Coach. Wes’s basketball record with a career span of 48 years: 519 wins and 168 losses. This includes one state championship and ten district titles plus numerous conference titles. The administrator-coach also coached football, track, baseball and volleyball at the junior through college level during his career. His Nebraska basketball teams reached the state tournament […]
Nikki Stricker Best – Lincoln East
Athlete. Lincoln’s second female athlete to earn 12 varsity letters, Nikki (Stricker) Best was the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star Athlete of the Year in 1990. She earned all-state honors in volleyball and basketball as well as Mizuno All-America honors in volleyball. She helped the Spartans win the state volleyball championship in 1986 […]
Conde Sargent – Lincoln
Contributor. A faithful keeper of the lighthouse of Nebraska high school sports, this sports writer and association executive spent the better part of a lifetime supporting the pursuit of excellence in both academics and athletics. As a long-time sports writer for the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal & Star newspapers, his expertise was put to […]
John Sanders – Grand Island
Athlete. Outstanding letterman in three sports for Grand Island High School earned nine varsity letters and collected numerous personal honors: All State football quarterback in 1963; basketball All State and All State Tournament First Team in 1964; record for the most field goals in one state tournament game; single season and career scoring records for […]
Keith Staehr – Kimball
Coach. Keith Staehr gained a reputation for getting the most out of his teams, building a formidable squad out of very little talent. His Kimball teams often came away with victories over schools with larger enrollments and more talented athletes. He retired in 2000 with a 187-119-1 record that included four seasons, and three conference […]
Virginia Stahr Gee – Centennial
Athlete. The Big Eight Female Athlete of the Year in 1989, Viriginia (Stahr) Gee started her career at Centennial High School where she earned 12 varsity letters before her graduation in 1985 when she was the Lincoln Journal Star Athlete of the Year. Stahr’s Centennial volleyball teams had a combined 80-11 record, going 24-0 and […]
Harold Scott – Lincoln High
Coach. Harold took the head coaching job in track at Lincoln High in 1954 and held that position longer than any other coach, nearly 30 years. He organized the Links’ first cross-country team that year, pioneering that sport’s recognition in Nebraska. Although he assisted in other sports he is best known for his compilation of […]
Darcy Stracke – Stuart, Chambers
Chambers Class of 1996 Athlete Darcy Stracke rewrote many record books in volleyball and track, but the most in basketball. Starting with her freshman year at Stuart High School, then the following three years at Chambers, Stracke led her teams to state titles all four years, averaging 30.5 points per game in the state tournament. […]