The Nebraska High School Basketball All-State Project - Saluting 1986

1985/86 Regular Season:

*In Class A, Omaha Burke was rated #1 most of the season with Ed Johnson's Lincoln NE team directly behind them. Johnson's senior son Jay, a starting guard, helped run the Rocket's offense. Despite those two stalwarts, Creighton Prep possessed three of the best players in the class, Reggie McGaugh, Lamont McIntosh and David Allen. Prep's opening round opponent was Hastings, who was coached by 1st year head coach Mike Trader. And you certainly overlook the fact Omaha Burke had a 7 foot junior named Rich King. One can nearly count the number of 7 footers on one hand that we have seen perform at the Nebraska High School State Basketball Tournament over the years.

In Class B, Arlington was in the midst of a 47 game winning streak entering the '86 State Tournament. Gering was the team picked by prep sports scribes as having the best shot at ending that marvelous Arlington win streak.

Bayard went wire to wire as the #1 ranked team in Class C-1 and was coming off two runner-up finishes in the previous two State Tournaments. Number 3 Fremont Bergan and number 4 Sandy Creek also looked strong coming in and a school in northern Nebraska was starting to get things together by the name of Atkinson West Holt. They happen to have a nice 6-5 freshman named Bruce Chubik who was coached by a very wise head man........Bruce Chubik Sr.

Henderson looked to me like the team to beat in C-2 that year, although O'Neill St. Marys appeared to be awful strong, having lost only to 3 state tourney teams and a Class B opponent.

In D-1, Exeter was ranked #1 all season long and was out to defend their 1985 title. Big thing for the defending champs was having a healthy Ryan Ruhl back on the court. The biggest threat to Exeter was defensive minded Beemer and a stout Adams squad.

In Class D-2, Two-Time defending king, Clearwater was back with plenty of firepower. You had to consider 10-10 Polk in this field, the Cubs having knocked off D-2' #1 rated McCool Junction in their District. And then there was the ever present Lexington St. Ann and Jason Lauby.

*Here are the class by class State Tournaments at a glance in 1986:

*Class D-2: The 1st Round matchups looked like this:

Clearwater (20-1) vs. Brule (8-8)

Wilcox (9-7) vs. Filley (13-7)

Lexington St. Anns (19-1) vs. Polk (10-10)

Big Springs (17-3) vs. Milligan (11-9)

*Two time defending champion Clearwater had little trouble disposing of Brule 80-31 in the opening round. In the other top bracket game, Filley ousted Hildreth 51-48 in a very tight basketball contest. Jason Lauby led Lexington St. Ann to a 48-37 win over Polk in the bottom bracket and Big Springs, led by All-Stater Sean Armstrong, outlasted Milligan 66-65.

Clearwater was too much for Filley in the semis, sending them home with a 46-35 defeat. Lexington St. Ann qualified for its 2nd final in the past 3 years by beating Big Springs 61-50.

Clearwater won it's 3rd consecutive state title by besting Lexington St. Ann 49-45 in the finals. Cardinal coach Rick Hesse used a box-and-one defense for only the 2nd time in 10 years in an effort to slow down the Knight's high scoring Jason Lauby. It worked. Clearwater's Kelly Prater shadowed Lauby the entire game, limiting the splendid senior to just 11 points on 5 of 13 shooting.

Clearwater, who finished 23-1, also cashed in on 9 of 21 shots from the charity stripe, while St. Anns had only 4 attempts all day, making just one. St. Ann's Alan Caraway led all scorers with 18.

*Class D-1: The 1st Round matchups looked like this.....

Adams (14-5) vs. Exeter (18-4) (Defending Champion)

Sidney St. Pats (17-1) vs. Chambers (15-7)

Maxwell (17-3) vs. Maxwell (13-6)

Coleridge(14-6) vs Beemer (19-4)

*Exeter, with a healthy Ryan Ruhl, sent Adams home, 62-54 in that first round. Sidney St. Pats beat Chambers by ten, 62-52, Axtell nipped Maxwell 66-64, and Beemer prevailed over Coleridge in a nailbiter, coming out the best with a 66-65 victory.

Exeter earned a 2nd trip to the finals by trouncing Sidney St. Pats 83-47 in the first semifinal contest. St. Pats just simply did not match up well with Eagles in that baby. Beemer came out on top in another heart thumper by beating Axtell 64-59 in overtime.

Exeter rode the superb play of sophomore Ben Horne to overcome a stingy Beemer defense in the D-1 finals. Horne, who completely smashed the Class D-1 Tournament scoring record with his three game total of 83 points, hit 20 in the Eagles 63-55 win over Beemer. Horne also pulled down 17 rebounds in the game. We're talking about a sophomore here. With that victory, Exeter earned their 2nd straight D-1 Championship to go along with the Exeter girls D-1 title.

Class C-2: The 1st Round matchups looked like this:

Osceola (15-4) vs. O'Neill St. Marys (15-4)

Newcastle (17-1) vs. Howells (9-11)

Nemaha Valley (19-3) vs. Kearney Catholic (15-5)

Leyton (18-3) vs. Henderson (15-4)

*Osceola hung on to beat O'Neill St. Marys 59-53 in overtime to kick off the C-2 Big Dance. A very good Newcastle club sent Howells to the sidelines with a 52-36 win. On the bottom side, Nemaha Valley slowed things down to shock Kearney Catholic 33-28, and Henderson was all over Leyton, 84-60.

In the semifinals, Osceola gave Newcastle all it could handle before falling short, 58-53. Henderson had it's hands full with Nemaha Valley's deliberate style of play, before punching its ticket to C-2 title game with a 48-43 win.

Henderson, led by John Pankratz and Luis Vega, powered to a C-2 crown with a 56-51 win over Newcastle in the finals. What a 3 year run for Vega.

Class C-1: The 1st Round matchups looked like this.....

Norfolk Catholic (16-7) vs. Fremont Bergan (20-3)

Sandy Creek (23-2) vs. Tri-County (12-8)

Bayard (23-0) vs. Atkinson West Holt (9-9)

Ravenna (16-6) vs. Omaha Cathedral (17-4)

*In the opening round, Fremont Bergan was too much for Norfolk Catholic 62-48. In the other 1st round upper bracket game, Sandy Creek, led by the terrific Mike Herbek, defeated Tri-County 63-54. Undefeated Bayard, who had been runners-up the previous seasons, trounced West Holt 75-50 and a very strong Omaha Cathedral squad sent Jim Langins Ravenna team home with a 79-61 defeat. Ravenna had not been to state in 59 years prior to 1986.

Sandy Creek earned an appearance in the C-12 finals by edging Bergan 67-66, while Omaha Cathedral denied Bayard a third consecutive trip to the C-1 finals by besting the Tigers, 61-58.

The C-1 finals featured a magnificent battle between Sandy Creek's Mike Herbek and Kipp Kissinger facing up against Cathedral's two studs, Frank Theiler and Chris Shanahan. It seemed to be all Cougars in the 1st half, as Sandy Creek jumped out to a 37-28 lead, led by the 17 point scoring of Mike Herbek and 15 more from Kipp Hinrichs.

Omaha Cathedral changed all that in the 3rd quarter by hitting 13 of their first 14 shots. Frank Theiler made 5 straight at one point, while Paul Storbeck nailed 4 in a row. By the end of the 3rd stanza, Cathedral had turned a 9 point halftime deficit into a stunning 54-47 lead. In that historic 3rd frame, Omaha Cathedral hit 81% of their shots from the field while forcing 9 Sandy Creek turnovers.

Sandy Creek was not finished though and made two more runs at the Cardinals in the 4th quarter, pulling to within 60-57, and 71-65, but it was too much Frank Theiler and Chris Shanahan as Omaha Cathedral defeated Sandy Creek 76-70 to grab the Class C-1 championship. Theiler led the way with 29 points. Shanahan added 19.

Class B: 1st Round pairings were:

Holdrege (16-3) vs. Seward (18-4)

Arlington (22-0) vs. York (16-7)

Norris (17-5) vs. Gering (16-2)

Valentine (19-2) vs. Wayne (15-5)

*For some reason, I just did not think Arlington could win two Class B titles with their lack of height. Their 1st Round match-up with York scared me a bit, and if the Eagles DID beat York, the Gering-Holdrege winner also frightened me. On to the Tournament.

*Well, Arlington improved to 23-0, surviving a 58-54 overtime scare from York. In the other top bracket game, Holdrege flashed some muscle by defeating Seward 56-46. I sure liked the way the Dusters balance looked with Brain Sandfort, Corey Cook and Kraig Sproles leading the way.

In the other half of the1st round bracket, Gering beat Norris 61-56, and Valentine defeated Wayne 33-29 in a really boring State Tournament game.....sorry.

My suspicions came true concerning Arlington in the semifinals. Holdrege took the Eagles into overtime, halting their 48 game winning streak with a 57-49 win. Gering survived Valentine in the other semifinal, 46-44. Those two semifinal games made up for the Valentine-Wayne clunker I witnessed in that opening round on Thursday.

In the Class B finals, many in attendance thought the Bulldogs had themselves a state title when Holdrege star Brian Sandfort went to the bench with his 5th foul late in the game. Coach Craig Jacobson didn't seem concerned because the trio of Kraig Sproles, Corey Cook and Bob Sunquist had picked up the scoring slack in prior games that Sandfort fouled out.

With Gering leading 51-46, the trio went to work, picking up the slack and when Sunquist added a pair of free throws then hit a jumper with 1:17 remaining, the Dusters went in front for good. Holdrege, led by Sproles 17 counters, captured the Class B title with a 59-56 win over Gering.

Class A: The 1st Round matchups looked like this:

Norfolk (12-8) vs. Lincoln Northeast (19-2)

Omaha Central (17-4) vs. Omaha Northwest (15-6)

Omaha Burke (20-2) vs. Omaha Westside (12-11)

Creighton Prep (15-5) vs. Hastings (16-4)

*None of the first round games looked as though they would be barn burners back then. Omaha Central and Northwest appeared to be the only one that could present any drama before things got underway. Let's see how things shook out during the '86 Class A Dance.

Lincoln NE beat Dave Oman's Panthers 49-32 back on February 1st and nothing changed when those two kicked off the Class A tournament. Despite Norfolk winning 7 of its last regular season games, the Rockets still bumped Norfolk out of the tournament with a resounding 66-48 win. The next game saw Tony Manuel and his Omaha Northwest buddies eliminate Omaha Central 59-52. During the night session, Omaha Burke finally subdued Omaha Westside 48-43 and newcomer Hastings found Creighton Prep to be a cut above, as the Junior Jays won that one 65-51.

In the semis, Omaha Northwest sent Ed Johnson's Lincoln NE team to the sidelines with a 48-45 win while Omaha Burke thrashed Creighton Prep by an 82-64 margin.

In that 1986 Class A final, you couldn't have asked for much more drama. Back in that era, Omaha Northwest was going through a great run of good basketball teams. The Huskies had been to the Class A finals 4 of the last 5 years. Could they do it again having to defend a 7 foot post player in Rich King plus a bonafide All-State candidate in 6-8 Dan Olson?

Northwest held a 35-31 lead going into the money quarter. After the Huskies Tony Manuel connected on 2 free throws to them up 37-33, Burke reeled off 7 straight points, 4 by King and 3 by Olson. That put the Bulldogs up 45-39 with 2:56 left in the game. Manuel then scored 5 more for Northwest and a Steve Dunbar charity toss knotted things at 45.

Burke then decided to implore a delay game, working the clock down to 5 seconds. That's when the 6-8 Olson put up a shot that was promptly tied up by the 6-7 Manuel. The called held ball gave the ball back to Burke on the alternating possession rule, and the Bulldogs immediately brought in the 7 foot Rich King for the final play of regulation.

The inbounds play was to King to put up a shot that was missed. Reggie Coker quickly rebounded the errant shot and put up another that also missed it's mark. But Olson burst in and dropped in a game-winning follow shot that gave Omaha Burke the 47-45 win.

*1986 Class D-2 All-State Team*

Rod Hunke-Snyder* - 6-2, Senior (21.4 ppg/11.5 rpg)

Kevin Thiele-Clearwater* - 5-11, Senior (20.1 ppg/7.8 rpg)

Tim Wiemer-McCool Junction- 6-1, Senior (18.9 ppg/4.6 rpg)

Sean Armstrong-Big Springs - 6-1, Senior (22.0 ppg/8.2 rpg)

Roger Johnson-Prague - 6-9, Senior (20.9 ppg/13.5 rpg)

2nd Team:

Jason Lauby-Lexington St. Ann - 5-10, Senior (21.0 ppg/4.0 rpg)

Clark Bauer-Hildreth - 6-4, Senior (24.9 ppg/15.0 rpg)

Rich Milner-Greeley - 6-1, Senior (20.8 ppg/9.0 rpg)

James Lenners-Filley - 6-2, Senior (16.0 ppg/6.0 rpg)

Mike Wiemer-McCool Junction - 6-4, Junior (18.7 ppg/16.1 rpg)

*1986 Class D-1 All-State Team*

Ryan Ruhl-Exeter- 6-0, Senior (19.0 ppg/3.8 rpg)

Tim Schultz-Beemer - 6-4, Junior (19.0 ppg/9.0 rpg)

Andy Hahn-Hampton - 6-3, Senior (17.0 ppg/8.0 rpg)

Rodney Frederick-Trenton - 6-4, Senior (25.4 ppg/14.5 rpg)

Kendall Schuster-Adams - 6-4, Senior (15.0 ppg/8.4 rpg)

2nd Team:

Eric Haynes-Sterling - 6-2, Junior (17.0 ppg/1.0 rpg)

Ron McNitt-Meridian - 5-10, Senior (18.0 ppg/8.0 rpg)

Mike Fecht-Axtell - 6-2, Junior (14.5 ppg/11.1 rpg)

Brad Backemeyer-Elmwood - 5-10, Junior (15.0 ppg/6.0 rpg)

James O'Malley-Chambers - 6-0, Senior (18.4 ppg/8.0 rpg)

*1986 Class C-2 All-State Team*

Luis Vega-Henderson* - 6-0, Senior (16.0 ppg/4.0 rpg)

Daryl Poppe-Scribner* - 6-6, Junior (20.8 ppg/11.3 rpg)

Scott Pickworth-Mead - 6-6, Senior (18.0 ppg/5.5 rpg)

Dan Svehla-Clarkson - 6-2, Senior (14.1 ppg/11.2 rpg)

Scott Kneifl-Newcastle - 6-5, Senior (16.0 ppg/10.0 rpg)

2nd Team:

Doug Oxley-Nemaha Valley - 6-5, Senior (15.2 ppg/8.1 rpg)

Scott Pankratz- Henderson - 6-3, Senior (16.0 ppg/7.0 rpg)

Tim Wobken-Scribner - 6-2, Senior (15.0 ppg/rpg, na)

Darwin Snyder-Winnebago - 6-0, Senior (23.0 ppg/10.0 rpg)

Will Berigan-O'Neill St. Marys - 6-5, Junior (16.4 ppg/8.7 rpg)

*1986 Class C-1 All-State Team*

Jamie Yakel-Bayard* - 6-1, Senior (16.0 ppg/8.7 rpg)

Paul Brungardt-Battle Creek* - 6-7, Senior (19.0 ppg/14.0 rpg)

Jim Meister-Fremont Bergan* - 6-3, Junior (18.9 ppg/8.8 rpg)

Frank Theiler-Omaha Cathedral - 6-0, Senior (19.3 ppg/2.0 rpg)

Kipp Hinrichs-Sandy Creek - 6-4, Senior (20.0 ppg/9.0 rpg)

2nd Team:

Brent Hinkle-Yutan* - 6-2, Senior (20.1 ppg/4.5 rpg)

Steve Denn-Norfolk Catholic - 5-11, Senior (15.1 ppg/5.5 rpg)

Duane Hagedorn-West Point CC - 6-6, Senior (22.0 ppg/10.9 rpg)

Bob Alexander-David City - 6-3, Senior (14.4 ppg/12.1)

Tony Foster-Republican Valley - 5-10, Senior (21.4 ppg/4.4 rpg)

*Big 6-7, 245 pound Paul Brungardt played defensive tackle at Nebraska from 1987-1991 and last I heard, he had an engineering firm in Kearney. Jamie Yakel is now Dr. Jamie Yakel and is a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine in Boulder, Colorado. Frank Theiler went on to a sparkling baseball career at Doane College. Theiler was all-conference in 1988-89-90, and ended up being invited to the New York Yankees training camp in 1991. He instead married his sweetheart, Mary Rainforth and is now the corporate administrator for her firm, Community Rehab Physical Therapy in Omaha.

*1986 Class B All-State Team

Keith Gehring-Columbus Lakeview* - 6-6, Senior (19.0 ppg/11.0 rpg)

Brian Sandfort-Holdrege - 6-1, Senior (20.0 ppg/2.2 rpg)

Lonnie Graver-Arlington - 6-2, Senior (16.7 ppg/7.5 rpg)

Doug Lindner-Seward - 6-5, Senior (15.0 ppg/10.0 rpg)

Brad VanWhye-Gering- 5-11, Senior (15.8 ppg/7.7 rpg)

2nd Team:

Richard Lutter-Valentine - 6-5, Senior (16.0 ppg/11.0 rpg)

Pat Carey-Grand Island Central Catholic - 6-4, Senior (17.2 ppg/8.4 rpg)

Scott Flynn-Blair - 6-6, Senior (15.7 ppg/9.6 rpg)

Brian Gruenke-Arlington - 6-1, Senior (16.1 ppg/10.6 rpg)

Mike Barrett-Nebraska City - 6-4, Senior (17.8 ppg/10.1 rpg)

Arlington's Lonnie Graver went on to enjoy a terrific basketball career at Midland and still holds records for the most career Three Point Field Goals, hitting 253 of those babies from 1986-1990. He also holds the single season Three Point Field Goal Record with 105 during the 1989-1990 season at Midland. At last check, Graver was the Vice-President of Operations for CRi, an Omaha based technology services provider. I know at one time Lonnie Graver officiated quite a few basketball games at the NAIA level.

Scott Flynn is now a technology specialist and 7th grade science teacher at Otte Middle School in Blair. He is also an assistant football coach for Blair and was the head basketball coach for the Bears for a few years (2012-14?)

*1986 Class A All-State Team:

Tony Manuel-Omaha Northwest* - 6-7, Senior (19.3 ppg/10.3 rpg)

Dan Olson-Omaha Burke - 6-6, Senior (16.4 ppg/8.0 rpg)

Darryl Roddy-Omaha North - 6-2, Senior (22.3 ppg/6.0 rpg)

Rod Gourdine-Lincoln High - 6-2, Senior (19.0 ppg/5.0 rpg)

Reggie McGaugh-Creighton Prep - 6-2, Senior (15.0 ppg/7.6 rpg)

2nd Team:

Mike Beasley-Omaha Central - 6-5, Senior (14.0 ppg/9.0 rpg)

Gerry Gdowski-Fremont - 6-2, Senior (16.3pg/2.7 rpg)

Robert Williams-Omaha South - 6-0, Senior (20.0 ppg/6.0 rpg)

Sam Somerhalder-Lincoln East - 6-5, Junior (17.3 ppg/6.0 rpg)

Brad Richardson-Lincoln Northeast - 6-5, Junior (13.0 ppg/10.0 rpg)

*One performance made the all-time records list that year. Lincoln East sharpshooter sank 34 consecutive free throws without a miss. That currently ranks tied for 12th on that list behind Nick Bahe of Lincoln SE, who would go 58 without a miss in 2002.

*1986 Super-State 1st Team

Tony Manuel-Omaha Northwest* - 6-7, Senior (19.3 ppg/10.3 rpg)

Dan Olson-Omaha Burke - 6-6, Senior (16.4 ppg/8.0 rpg)

Darryl Roddy-Omaha North - 6-2, Senior (22.3 ppg/6.0 rpg)

Rod Gourdine-Lincoln High - 6-2, Senior (19.0 ppg/5.0 rpg)

Reggie McGaugh-Creighton Prep - 6-2, Senior (15.0 ppg/7.6 rpg)

*1986 Super-State 2nd Team:

Mike Beasley-Omaha Central - 6-5, Senior (14.0 ppg/9.0 rpg)

Robert Williams-Omaha South - 6-0, Senior (20.0 ppg/6.0 rpg)

Gerry Gdowski-Fremont - 6-2, Senior (16.3pg/2.7 rpg)

Damone Williams-Omaha Northwest - Senior

Greg Mays-Hastings - Senior

*1986 Super-State 3rd Team:

Brian Sandfort-Holdrege - 6-1, Senior (20.0 ppg/2.2 rpg)

Jamie Yakel-Bayard - 6-1, Senior (16.0 ppg/8.7 rpg)

Luis Vega-Henderson - 6-0, Senior (16.0 ppg/4.0 rpg)

Brad Richardson-Lincoln Northeast - 6-5, Junior (13.0 ppg/10.0 rpg)

Lamont McIntosh-Creighton Prep - Senior