Clarence Swanson – Wakefield
Athlete. A 1917 graduate of Wakefield High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. He was a freshman starter on the football team. At the University of Nebraska, Swanson was a four-year letterman on the football team. He set a school record for career touchdown receptions (17) that stood until after his death in […]
LaVerne Torczon – Platte Center
Athlete.(1953) LaVerne Torczon blazed a trail from Nebraska’s six-man fields to professional football where he earned the nickname “Tarzan Torczon” while playing for the Buffalo Bills, New York Titans/Jets and Miami Dolphins. At Platte Center, he was a three-year starter in football, playing end as a sophomore and running back his junior and senior years, […]
Howard Zook – Fairfield
Coach. A high school and college track standout, Howard Zook coached several sports and found success in all. In a 28-year coaching career at 10 schools in Nebraska and Wyoming, he piled up more than 350victories in basketball and 80 in football, even though some of the schools didn’t offer football. A 1930 Peru State […]
Shelly Block Tvrdy – Gothenburg
Athlete. Shelly (Block) Tvrdy was a standout in track, cross country and basketball at Gothenburg High School where she holds school records in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. In cross country, Block placed in the top three in every meet her sophomore, junior and senior years, except for the state meet her sophomore year. […]
George “Bus” Knight – Jackson
Athlete. A 1937 graduate of Jackson High School situated in northeast Lincoln, this versatile athlete had an honorable career in three sports: football, basketball and track from his freshman year forward. He was an all-city back for four years on the gridiron. Named all-state in football his junior and senior years, the Jackson High team […]
Dave Lebsack – Lincoln Northeast
Athlete. Dave Lebsack earned the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald’s Athlete of the Year awards in 1962 after earning nine letters at Lincoln Northeast in football, basketball and baseball. An all-state quarterback, he led the Rockets to a 9-0 record and the state ratings championship in 1961. He started from the first game his […]
Darrell Mudra – Omaha South
Coach. Nicknamed “Dr. Victory” his career win record was 200-81-4 made him second only to Eddie Robinson of Grambling as the winningest Division 1-AA coach at the time of his retirement. Darrell coached every level of the sport from peewee’s to high school, college and one professional team. The 1946 South High graduate played his […]
Jerry Neely – Norfolk
Official. Jerry’s 40-year officiating career started while he was in the military service. While waiting for an injury to mend he started refereeing basketball games among service teams. While attending Hastings College and on the basketball team, he did some intramural refing and then added some high school games while still competing himself. After graduation, […]
Doug Phelps – Hastings
Athlete. A 1975 graduate of Hastings High School, Phelps was the first Nebraskan to clear the 7-foot barrier in the high jump. He won three straight gold medals in the high jump at the state meet and, his senior season, broke the state record five times. He also was a three-year, three-sport letterman for the […]
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 […]