Jackie Washington – Omaha Central
Athlete. The names of great Nebraska athletes who received their secondary education at Omaha Central High School is legendary, and to this list should always be included the name of Jackie Washington. She was a most versatile runner in girls high school track & field meets: A gold medal winner in the l00-yard dash; gold […]
Cal Bentz – Lincoln
Coach. No one understood the sport of swimming better than this great aquatic coach. Arriving at Westside High School in Omaha in 1963, he became their swimming and diving coach until 1977. During his tenure there the Roman Warriors of Westside High became a dominating force in the state, gaining plaudits across the nation. Westside […]
Dan Brand – Bellevue
Athlete. Dan Brand’s path to the 1964 Olympic bronze medal in wrestling followed a round-about path. At Bellevue High School, he participated in football, basketball and track, achieving modest success. At the University of Nebraska, the 6-foot, 5-inch Brand played on the freshman basketball team but was cut from the varsity as a sophomore. He […]
Roland Locke – North Platte
Athlete—This 1923 graduate of North Platte High School was timed as the fastest sprinter in the world en route to becoming the world record holder in the 100 and 220 yard dashes. Imagine a runner with world-class speed in a high school football backfield. He led North Platte in 1921 to an unbeaten football season […]
Neal Mosser – Omaha Tech
Coach—This champion basketball coach was at the helm of Omaha Technical High School during some glory years for the school. In his 20 years coaching at Tech, Neal Mosser helped develop what many consider the greatest high school boys basketball team of all time, the Class A State Championship Tech team of 1963. Few if […]
Jim Morrison – Howells
Coach. Coaching 40 years at Howells, Jim Morrison became one of Nebraska’s legendary basketball coaches. His Bobcat teams won state championships in 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1983 and made one other state finals appearance. He compiled a 594-326 record, including two years at Dodge, and coached nine all-state selections. Morrison’s teams qualified for the […]
Edward “Scotty” Orcutt – Omaha Benson
Coach. A champion coach in three sports, Scotty Orcutt was the dean of Omaha baseball coaches before a fall led to his death in 1972. His baseball teams won three league tournament titles and won or shared five regular-season crowns, along with a state runner-up finish in 1966, as the Bunnies were 188-99-3 during his 28 […]
Kent Reckewey – Lincoln East
Athlete. High school basketball players talk about someone having a “hot hand,” meaning the knack of hitting the basket again and again and again. Kent Reckewey, a 1971 graduate of Lincoln East High School, personified the phenomenon. A two-time all-state basketball player, it was the 1971 state tournament won by Lincoln East which brought out […]
Bob Schnitzler – Battle Creek
Coach. The three-sport athlete in both high school and college came to Battle Creek in 1962 and the rest is history. His football teams won 293 games with 89 losses. They qualified for the state playoffs 16 times, winning four championships and runners-up five times. He coached the boys track team to four state championships, […]
Debbie Spickelmier Noble – Hayes Center
Athlete. (1985) A small-school superstar who, along with her twin sister, Donna, made Hayes Center a player on the state tournament scene where the Cardinals won back-to-back Class D state track championships in 1984 and 1985, the Class D-2 state basketball championship in 1985 and finished second in volleyball in 1984. Debbie excelled in track, […]