Four-day state tournaments for volleyball and wrestling foreshadow similar changes for girls and boys basketball.
Something positive has to come from this pandemic, and that would be never having to play state tournaments in high school gyms again.
The Nebraska School Activities Association board Thursday approved volleyball’s four-day tournament and heard options to add a day to the 2021 wrestling tournament to maximize attendance while adhering to safety protocols and local guidelines for large crowds.
Volleyball will play all matches at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Classes A, B and C-1, for travel reasons, will go first on PBA’s two courts on Wednesday, with the remaining classes completing the first round on Thursday.
Basketball easily could, and should, go the same route by using PBA and the Devaney Center and the same schedule — large schools first, small schools next, semifinals on Friday and finals on Saturday. The only hurdle could be whether Devaney would be available for back-to-back weekends because NU volleyball will be in its season, and that’s where it practices.
Lincoln has nice public school gyms, but even before the pandemic they were losing their suitability for state tournaments — especially when filled to the brim for boys basketball. At half capacity and with distancing, none of the gyms could hold much more than 1,000. Devaney’s capacity would be at least three times that. At PBA, maybe 6,000 to 7,000 will be the limit.
If you believe the state should get through fall sports before worrying about the next season, well, the first day of winter sports is eight weeks away on Dec. 4. Schools already are asking for guidance. What will be the winter sports protocols? Will large wrestling tournaments or swim meets be OK? Should schools break up girls-boys basketball doubleheaders? By month’s end, we should know from the NSAA. The board discussed winter — and spring — sports in executive session at the end of its meeting.
Now if you believe it’s excessively early to consider spring sports, the state track meet is the NSAA’s largest production of the year for participants and spectators at one time. Almost every school in the state is represented. Can it still be a two-day meet at Burke Stadium? That’s fodder for a future column.
COVID-19 changes
Left without opponents (Twin River and Superior) this week due to the coronavirus, Class C-2 No. 2 Ord and No. 4 Sutton agreed to meet Friday at Ord in a replacement game that won’t affect wild-card points but will have ratings implications. Another replacement game is Central Valley visiting Fremont-Mills, Iowa.
Through Thursday afternoon, 14 games have been lost from this week’s schedule. Other rated teams that had opponents cancel are Class B No. 9 Grand Island Northwest (York), Eight Man-2 No. 1 Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (Giltner), Eight Man-1 No. 4 Tri County (Freeman) and, in Six Man, No. 3 Stuart (St. Edward) and No. 4 Red Cloud (Franklin).
Five games to follow on Friday
Top 10 No. 4 Elkhorn South (5-1) at No. 7 Gretna (6-0), 7 p.m.: First time these ex-Eastern Midlands Conference rivals have met when both have been ranked. South’s loss was 17-14 to now-No. 3 Millard South. Gretna is playing its first ranked Class A opponent of the season. Dragon sophomore Zane Flores is third in Class A in passing yards.
Millard West (1-4) at No. 2 Bellevue West (3-0), 7 p.m.: It’s a rematch of last year’s Class A semifinal that Bellevue West won 37-30. Millard West has lost games by 2, 3 and 1 points. It will have to shorten the game through ball control to slow down the Thunderbirds. TV: Cox 13.
Class B No. 3 Elkhorn (5-1) at No. 5 Bennington (5-1), 7 p.m.: Speaking of old EMC rivalries, this one is renewed for the first time since 2017 with Elkhorn returning from Class A. Kale Bird of Bennington is second in Class B passing yards, Aiden Young of Elkhorn sixth in rushing yards.
Class C-1 No. 2 Ashland-Greenwood (6-0) at No. 4 Wahoo (4-1), 7 p.m.: Wahoo is coming off an idle week because of a COVID-related cancellation. Which running back can be the better difference maker, Matthew Schuster for A-G or Colin Ludvik for Wahoo?
Class C-1 No. 3 Adams Central (6-0) at No. 7 Kearney Catholic (4-1), 7 p.m.: After bending for a state-record 45 completions but giving only one touchdown pass for Central City’s Kale Jensen, Adams Central’s defense faces Husker commit Heinrich Haarberg. Radio: KICS (1550, Hastings), KXPN (1460, Kearney).
Gene Starmer, 72
When Millard South was still the Indians, Gene Starmer was part of a special coaching staff. He started the school’s tennis program in 1970 with boys and added a girls team a year later.
Starmer, 72, passed away Sunday. His funeral service is 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Heafey-Hoffmann Dworak-Cutler West Center Chapel, 7805 West Center Road.
His teams won two state championships and were runners-up nine times. He taught in the Millard schools for 33 years before retiring in 2003.
A Fremont native, he played football and tennis at Midland Lutheran. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Barb, daughter Jenna Erb and son Jeff Starmer.
All-Nebraska football teams through the years
2020
2019
Standing, left to right, Omaha Westside's Cade Haberman, Lincoln Southeast's Isaac Gifford, Waverly's Trevor Brown, Omaha Westside's Cole Payton, Scottsbluff's Sabastian Harsh, Bellevue West's Thomas Ault, Omaha Westside's Avante Dickerson, Millard South's Kohl Herbolsheimer, Bellevue West's Zavier Betts, Millard West's Dalys Beanum, Lincoln Southeast's Xavier Trevino, Bellevue West's Jay Ducker, Millard West's Dane Christensen, Omaha Westside's Grant Tagge, Elkhorn South's Teddy Prochazka. Sitting, left to right, Bellevue West's Jack McDonnell, Millard South's Isaiah Harris, Bellevue West's Nate Glantz, Omaha Skutt's Tyson Gordon, Grand Island's Caleb Francl, Omaha Burke's Xavier Watts, Grand Island's Broc Douglass, Bellevue West's Matt Thompson, Grand Island Central Catholic's Dietrick Stolz
2018
Front row, from left: Sam Sims, Grand Island; Dietrick Stolz, Grand Island Central Catholic; James Burks, Omaha Burke; Dylan Sales, Omaha Burke; Shane Dailey, Bellevue West; Jarod Epperson, Omaha Skutt. Second row, from left: D.J. Gross, McCook; Garrett Snodgrass, York; Xavier Watts, Omaha Burke; Jevyon Ducker, Bellevue West; Kohl Herbolsheimer, Millard South; Alex Rodgers, Omaha Roncalli. Third row, from left: Joseph Krause, Seward; Ethan Piper, Norfolk Catholic; Nick Henrich, Omaha Burke; Garrett Nelson, Scottsbluff; Chris Hickman, Omaha Burke. Back row, from left: Zavier Betts, Bellevue West; Mehki Butler, Omaha North; Caden Johnson, Wahoo Neumann; Tyson Gordon, Omaha Skutt; Baylor Scheierman, Aurora; Noah Stafursky, York. Not pictured: Isaiah Alford, Lincoln High
2017
Like the burr oaks at Mahoney State Park that were the backdrop for this photo, the 2017 All-Nebraska football team branched out with players from the Wyoming state line to the Missouri River.
2016
The 2016 All-Nebraska football team "earned their wings" at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum.
Back row from left: York's Masry Mapieu, Bellevue West's Sylvo Johnson, Lincoln East's Chris Walker, Gretna's Patrick Arnold, Bellevue West's Tyler Ciurej, Omaha Burke's Cole Frahm, Wilber-Clatonia's Riley Homolka, Norfolk's Lane McCallum, Ashland-GW's Brett Kitrell, and Beatrice's Cam Jurgens.
Middle row from left: Kearney's Noah Urbanek, Bellevue West's Jaylin Bradley, Omaha North's Kendrick Parker, Omaha North's Milton Sargbah, Elkhorn South's Moses Bryant, Omaha Skutt's Christian Banker, and Creighton Prep's AJ Hubner.
Front row from left: Wahoo Neumann's Noah Vedral, Omaha North's Zion Williams, Bellevue West's Diego Galvan, McCook's Zach Schlager, Bellevue West's Kevin Ponec, Norris' Austin Schultz, and Millard North's Jack Begley.
2015
The 2015 All-Nebraska football team gathered at Papillion-La Vista High School for the photo shoot.
2014
The 2014 All-Nebraska football team posted on the steps of the Joslyn Art Museum. The cover read: "A Step Ahead: The 24 members of the All-Nebraska football team towered over foes."
Back rows, starting from left: Papillion-La Vista South’s Jeremy Kowalski, No. 75; Seward’s Adam Holtorf, No. 79; Papillion-La Vista South’s Ryan Earith; Kearney’s Brian Arp, No. 55; Elkhorn South’s Brett Stinson; Grand Island’s Kevin Cahoy, No. 12; Omaha Central’s Tre Sanders, No. 6; Omaha Central’s DaiShon Neal, No. 9; Grand Island’s Pierce Almond, No. 2; Blair’s Vance Janssen; Bellevue West’s CJ Johnson; Boone Central/Newman Grove’s Wyatt Mazour; Omaha Central’s Xavier Graham, No. 64; Creighton Prep’s Jeremiah Stovall; and Creighton Prep’s Jack McLeay, No. 54. Front rows, starting from left: Omaha North’s Cole Bixler, No. 34; Omaha North’s Michael Decker, No. 78; Omaha North’s Calvin Strong, No. 5; Omaha North’s Jason Martin; Grand Island Central Catholic’s Youhanna Ghaifan; Millard North’s Adrrell Taylor, No. 27; Omaha North’s Marquise Lewis, No. 1; McCook’s Bryce Lyons, No. 21; and Omaha North’s Markell Vaughn, No. 22.
2013
In 2013, the All-Nebraska football and volleyball teams came together for a photo shoot, and the cover was designed to look like a Facebook page with the teams taking one big selfie.
2012
The 2012 All-Nebraska football team made a splash in the shark tunnel of the Scott Aquarium at the Henry Doorly Zoo.
Standing, from left: Luke McNitt, Kearney; DJ Foster, Lincoln Southeast; Josh Banderas, Lincoln Southwest; Nick DeLuca, Millard North; Harrison Phillips, Millard West; Mike Milenkovich, Millard North; Bryce Sosnowski, Millard South; Nathan Bazata, Howells-Dodge; Casey Sayles, Omaha North.
Middle row: Christian LaCouture, Lincoln Southwest; Jordan Bellar, Norfolk Catholic; Clay Fisher Millard North; Isaac Aakre, Millard North; Matt Kraft, Millard South; Alec Ditoro, Papillion-La Vista; Jake Schlager, McCook; Lee Carhart, Creighton Prep; Freeman Coleman, Millard South.
Front row: Andy Bayne, Millard North; Trey Carr, Omaha Burke; Calvin Strong, Omaha North; Skyler Monaghan, Millard West; Devin Washington, Lincoln Southeast; RJ Urzendowski, Creighton Prep.
2011
With the Omaha skyline in the background, the 2011 All-Nebraska football team was "Standing Tall" at Pioneer Courage Park not far from the Omaha World-Herald building.
Bottom Row (from left): Tay Bender, RB, Lincoln Southwest; Isaac Aakre, RB, Millard North; Landon Arnold, OL, Millard North; Andrew Coppa, DL, Omaha Burke; Trey Foster, DL, Lincoln Southeast; Bo Liekhus, DB, Bellevue West.
Middle Row (from left): Darian Barrientos-Jackson, DB, Omaha Central; James Anderson, OL, Omaha Burke; Andy Janovich, LB, Gretna; Drew Farlee, K, Norfolk Catholic; Mike Minter Jr., DB, Lincoln North Star; Sam Cotton, DL, Lincoln Southeast; Devin Washington, RB, Lincoln Southeast; Sam Foltz, DB, Grand Island; Jeremy Callahan, P, Lexington; Robbie Lafour, OL, Lincoln Southeast; Jake Schany, LB, Blair; Jordan Nelson, RB, Omaha Burke; Ryker Fyfe, QB, Grand Island.
Top Row (from left): Jordan Brichacek, OL, Howells; Zach Oliver, WR, Omaha Burke; Terry Grigsby, DB, Omaha North; Drew Ott, LB, Giltner; Mike Shoff, OL, Cambridge.
2010
All-Nebraska football captains Jimmie Forsythe of Omaha Burke and Tyson Broekemeier of Aurora were the focus in 2010 during this shoot at Turner Park at Midtown Crossing.
2009
The 2009 All-Nebraska football hopped aboard this old streetcar at the Durham Museum.
2008
There was "nothing pedestrian" about the 2008 All-Nebraska football team, which posed in front of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.
Back row, from left, Tyrone Sellers of McCook, Corey Serrano of North Platte, Nathan Zook of Grand Island, Eric Koehlmoos of Pierce, Tyler Daake of Norfolk Catholic, Tyler Niederklein of Millard West, Charles Viers of Millard West, Josh Kage of Papillion-LaóVista, Jake Herweyer of Millard West, Cole Pensick of Lincoln Northeast, Jordan Hale of Millard South, Andrew Rodriguez of Aurora, James Davis of Omaha North, Jon Lechner of Prep, Scott Criss of Omaha Creighton Prep and C.J. Zimmerer of Omaha Gross. Front row, Matt Berry of McCook, Braden Taylor of Grand Island, Vinny Molina of Kearney, Kohlman Adema-Schulte of Millard West, Bryant Giles of Omaha North, Michael Burrus of Papillion-LaóVista South, Ronald Coleman of North, Tyler Seals of Bellevue West and Greg Hardin of Bellevue West.
2007
For the 2007 All-Nebraska football team, The World-Herald chose individual shots for the cover instead of the group photo, and the result was "Picture Perfect."
2006
No challenge was too steep for the "Rock Solid" 2006 All-Nebraska football team, who posed in front of a climbing wall at Dick's Sporting Goods.
2005
The 2005 All-Nebraska football team wore letterman jackets for the photo shoot instead of their jerseys.
Top, from left, Millard North's Corey Young, Lincoln Southwest's Ian Dike, Millard North's Adam Nelson, Bellevue West's Silas Fluellen, Omaha Central's D.J. Jones (back row), Millard North's Jeff Tarpinian, Kearney's Tony Green, Lincoln Southwest's Ben Martin, Bellevue West's Jeff Martin, Lincoln Southwest's Ollie Sloup, Papillion-LaVista's Kyle Dooley and McCook's Josh Cherry.
Bottom, from left, Omaha Benson's Anthony Williams, Kearney's Joey Rousseau, Lincoln Southwest's Andy Cotton, Omaha Burke's Ricky Henry, Omaha South's Philip Barrientos, Creighton Prep's Mark Waring, Omaha Burke's Alex Henery, Millard West's Brandon Pete, Omaha Burke's Travis Liechti, Millard North's Paul Homer, Omaha North's Aaron Terry and Millard West's Matt Leaders.
2004
Nothing says football like rows of poinsettias. Those were the accents that went with this photo shoot for the 2004 All-Nebraska football team.
Stu Pospisil
Reporter - High school sports
Stu is The World-Herald's lead writer for high school sports and for golf. Follow him on Twitter @stuOWH. Email stu.pospisil@owh.com
