• Marty Kobza, Class of '81, Schuyler
• Sondra Obermeier, Class of '76, Aurora
• Lloyd Cardwell, Class of '32, Seward
• Chuck Jura, Class of '68, Schuyler
• Tom Kropp, Class of '71, Aurora
• Bob Siegel, Class of '73, Fairbury
• 1948-49 Seward Basketball Team, Golden Anniversary Team
• 1973-74 Fairbury Basketball Team, Silver Anniversary Team

Great Moments in Nebraska High School Sports

Awesome 800 meters Ryan Barrows of York recorded a state record run of 1:51.7 at the 1997 State Track and Field Meet, beating a twenty-year-old record that many believed would stand for another twenty.

Jerry Mathers' book Nebraska High School Sports (2nd edition) lists these as the best athletes from these conference schools:

• Aurora - Tom Kropp, Class of '71
• Central City - Bill Wilson, Class of '45
• Columbus Lakeview - Clete Pillen, Class of '72
• Crete - Steve Hokuf - Class of '28
• Fairbury - Bob Siegel - Class of '73
• Grand Island Northwest - Craig Etherton, Class of '74
• Ord - Al Zikmund, Class of '39 or Jeff Quinn, Class of '76
• Schuyler - Gene Harmon, Class of '70
• Seward - Lloyd Cardwell, Class of '32
• York - Cub Wiley, Class of '11 or Duane Smith, Class of '55

Roster:

• Greg Rosener
• Bob Kujath
• Mark Hansen
• Mark Bangert
• Greg Gibson
• Dell Schmidt
• John Krause
• Russ Vanous
• Bob Parks
• Bob Siegel
• Roger Stewart
• Kim Kujath
• Greg Hansmire, Student Manager
• Ken Milius, Student Manager

Coaches

• Charlie Moore, Head Coach
• Don Mahlman, Assistant Coach

The team ended the '73 season with a record of 25-2 and a Class B State Championship. Fairbury's two losses came at the hands of fellow Central Conference member Crete, 66-76 and 78-88. Fairbury avenged these losses with a 72-60 District win. The Jeff's had state tournament wins over Albion 74-52, Lincoln Pius X 52-47, and Sidney 60-54.

Bob Siegel burst onto the high school scene as a freshman during the 1969-70 season with a scoring ability to rank amonst the leaders in the state. He was a key member of a Fairbury basketball era that included three state tournament teams and two state championships. The '73 season also marked the end of NSAA Hall of Fame member Bob Siegel's remarkable career at Fairbury. In his senior season Siegel scored 705 points for a 26.1 per game average. His largest output came in a game versus Plattsmouth when he scored 40 points. Siegel's consistency showed in the state tournament as he scored 26 against Albion, 25 against Pius and 27 in the championship game against Sidney. Bob totaled 2337 total points for his career; averaging 23.9 points per game. During Bob's career Fairbury went 89-9 for an amazing 91% winning percentage. His career continued at the University of Nebraska.

 

Chuck Jura was a key member of the Schuyler team that was dubbed "the Jolly Green Giants." Chuck averaged 30 points per game on the 1968 Class B state championship team. Jura scored a total of 1431 career points and took his basketball skills to the next level at the University of Nebraska. After college Jura played pro basketball in Europe. He averaged 31 points a game for three years in Italy.

 

Tom Kropp is one of Nebraska's most outstanding athletes. Coming out of high school Tom was recruited by major colleges for both his basketball and football skills. He was twice an All-Stater in both basketball and football, a gold medal winner in track and the states Athlete of the Year in 1971. Tom averaged 32 points per game his senior year in basketball and scored 45 against conference member Fairbury in a state tournament game. After an All-American career at Kearney State College, Kropp played for the NBA Chicago Bulls and had a rewarding career on the European pro tour. Tom is now the head basketball coach at the University of Nebraska--Kearney.

 

Sondra Obermeier was the first winner of the female athlete of the year in 1976. Sondra starred in volleyball and track. Her state record long jump of 19'5" in 1976 withstood the challege of twenty plus years. Obermeier was the three-time Class B state long jump gold medal winner. She was the overall Gold Medal Champion twice in the long jump and once in the high jump. In the 1976 Class B State Track meet Sondra won the 100, 200, High Jump and Long Jump

 

Roster:

• Dick Biggs
• Ted Dierberger
• Don Hagemoser
• Jim Hayes
• Don Imig
• Dick Miller
• Cleon Nagel
• Roland Rivers
• Don Rolfsmeier
• Jack Rousselle
• Bernard Scheer
• Bruce Schroeder
• Eldon Schuknecht
• Don Strunc
• Norman Walla
• Dick Welsh
• Ken Wergin

Coach:

• Tom McLaughlin, head coach
• Cecil Walker, assistant coach

Seward High School basketball, coached by Tom McLaughlin, made a name for itself in the era of 50 years ago, making it to the state championship game three consecutive years in '47, '48, and 1949. Only a handful of schools after the time when districts determined state tournament teams could boast of three-in-a-row trips to the state finals.

The Hall of Fame chose to bestow its Golden Anniversary Award, planned for an outstanding team in the school 50 years ago, on Seward's championship teams of 1948 and 1949, both of them.

The late Roland Rivers made all the all-state teams during the 1947-48 era and was the leading Class B scorer in the state two years in a row when Seward won its state championships.

The 1948 team posted a 20-2 record and came to Lincoln for a state tournament sweep with wins over Cozad (41-33), Crete (41-33) and Ord in the finals (52-42). The '49 team collected a prized regular season victory over Class A's highly regarded Hastings. The Bluejays finished off a 21-1 season with another successful trip to the state tournament--beating Loup City (51-38), Gothenburg (51-44) and Omaha Holy Name in the finals (33-29).