Kearney High School will induct three individuals into the Kearney High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, September 23, 2022 at the Bearcat Football game at UNK’s Foster Field at half time. In addition, two families and the two teams were inducted on September 2, 2022.

Three coaches were selected for the Hall of Fame including Roger Mathiesen, Steve Larson, and Craig Lathrop.  Mathiesen was Head Boys Track and Field Coach for 37 years from 1980-2017.  Steve Larson was a coach at KHS for 48 years.  He coached football, track, shot put and discus.  Craig Lathrop coached for 41 years as Assistant Track and Field Coach, Assistant Football Coach and Strength Program Coordinator.  See their accomplishments below.

“Coach Larson and Coach Lathrop have been crucial to the unprecedented success of Kearney High School Athletics over the past few decades and continue to give back to KHS in many ways,” said Ryan Hogue, Assistant Principal/ KPS Activities Director   “Our final Hall of Fame inductee is one who needs no introduction, Roger Mathiesen. Coach Mathiesen, the architect of the Kearney High School boys track dynasty from 1980 through the 2017 track season. From 1993-2014, the Bearcats won 16 state championships and established a national record of 123 consecutive regular season victories.  Coach Mathiesen will always be remembered for putting Kearney High Boys Track at the top of Nebraska Class A Track but also on the National stage.”

The 1966 Football Team and the 1972 Girl’s Track Team were inducted in September into the Hall of Fame.  The Football Team was coached by Claire Boroff and  his Assistant Coaches include Riley Harris, Dennis Long and Jack Ramey.  The team was West Big 10 Conference Co-Champions Also inducted, the 1972 Girls Track Team were State Champions.  The team was coached by Tom Zapp and the assistant coaches were Lynne Demmel and Kathy Trout. The accomplishments of both teams are below.

The Brandt and Molina families were also inducted into the Hall of Fame for their contributions to KHS Athletics. Generations of the Brandt family have been competing for KHS since 1998 in track, football, basketball, and volleyball.  The Molina family also has a long tradition of competing for KHS with over ten family members.  The Molina’s wrote, “What a true honor to be embraced by a high school that cared about the Molina Family.We have never been more proud to represent Kearney High School and the Molina name. All any of us have ever wanted was to compete to the fullest for all the coaches that have positively supported all of us throughout the many years at KHS. Each and every coach whether it was football, softball, baseball, track or wrestling impacted each of our lives in different ways. Thank you all for the memories and life lessons learned. We are truly honored to be part of the Kearney High Family. Thank you to all the spectators and coaches. GO BEARCATS!”

“What an impressive Kearney High School Hall of Fame class for the 2022-2023 school year. We have a tremendous blend of the best coaches, teams and tradition rich families that have attended, competed and given back to KHS over the course of several decades,” said Hogue.  “It was a privilege to honor our 1966 football team and 1972 girls track team on the first Hall of Fame induction.  Both teams had impressive resumes during their respective seasons.  We also started a new ‘Family’ category and the first two families that we inducted were the Brandt and Molina Families.  Two families that have members who have and are still attending Kearney Public Schools, competed at a high level and are giving back to KPS in some fashion.  To honor some of these families now and in the future will be a great honor for both the families involved but also for the Kearney High Fall of Fame.”

ROGER MATHIESEN 

HEAD BOYS TRACK & FIELD COACH KEARNEY HIGH SCHOOL 1980-2017 (37 Years)

Personal Accomplishments 

2001 NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR 

2014 NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

2001, 2009, 2014 NHSACA Finalist For National Coach Of The Year

Omaha World Herald, Lincoln Journal Star and Grand Island Independent Coach of the Year

4 x Time Nebraska Coaches Association Coach Of The Year

Nebraska Coaches Association Level I, II, III, IV Career Milestone

Nebraska Coaches Association Bennie & Dutch Coaching Award

Kansas Relays High School Referee

Kearney Hub Freedom Award

Governors Award Admiral In Nebraska Navy

University of Nebraska-Kearney Distinguished Alumni Award

Kearney High School Boys Track & Field Team Accomplishments (1980-2017, 38 years - KHS is one of the smaller schools in Class A, never higher than 21st biggest school)

NATIONAL RECORD: 123 CONSECUTIVE INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS…22 YEARS (Defeating 947 Consecutive Teams)

  • 1,614 Wins and 77 Losses which accumulated to a 95% winning percentage.

STATE RECORD: 16 Team State Championships 

STATE RECORD: 11 Consecutive State Championships 

6 Team State Runner-Ups (22 Total Championships and Runner-Up Finishes)

5th Longest State Championships Winning Streak In American History

“Team Was Featured on ESPN’s “Scholastic Sports America”

Team Honored in 2003 by Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame

Program Honored by Kearney Hub as “Team of the 20th Century”

1996 & 1997 Teams Considered Two Greatest Track teams in Nebraska History

39 Different Athletes Listed on Nebraska’s All-Time top 10 Track Charts 

17 Consecutive Years with an All-Class Gold Medal Champion

30 Consecutive Years in the State Track Meet Top 10

State Record: 29 Consecutive District Championships

State Record: 28 Consecutive Conference Championships

22 Undefeated Invitational Seasons 

6 Nebraska Gatorade Track & Field Athletes of the Year

133 Individual State Champions or Runner-Up

143 Track Athletes Went on to Compete in Collegiate Track & Field (40 In NCAA Div.1)

74 Individual or Relay State Champions & 59 State Runner-Ups 

233 Different Athletes Have Medaled at the State Track Meet

‘96 Team Won 7 of the 17 Events at State Track 

‘97 Team had 10 State Champions or Runner-Ups

Class A State Meet Record: Scoring First Day (61 pts.)

Class A State Meet Record: Total Points (113 pts)

Class A State Record 881 Consecutive Teams Defeated (1994-2005

Averaged over 150 points per meet for the last 38 years

STEVE LARSON

Coach 1972-2020 (48 Years)  Football, Track, Shot Put, Discus

Steve Larson grew up on the family farm 2 miles East of Funk in Phelps County.  He graduated from Axtell High school in 1968 and went to Kearney State College.  He earned a degree in Vocational Education.  While at KSC, he participated  on the football team where he was a 3 year starter and an All American candidate as a Senior.

After college graduation in1972, he taught Voc. Ed. and coached Football and Track at Kearney Senior High where he was the shotput and discus coach.  During his 48 year coaching career, he coached 24 state champions and 14 runner ups. His throwers placed 34 years in a row in the shotput and 26 years in a row in the discus.  Throughout his tenure, the track teams accomplished 16 State Championships (11 were consecutive) and 6 runner ups. 

Coach Larson was a 25 year throws official at the Husker Invite, KU relays, and 4 times involved in the NCAA Division I National Championships.

Steve's wife, Mardell, was a teacher/administrator with Holdrege Public Schools.  Steve and Mardel have two children, Kyle and Sara.

 

CRAIG LATHROP

Assistant Track & Field Coach (1974-2015) - Assistant Football Coach  (1973-2012) - Strength Program Coordinator  (1973-2012)

Track: 1974-2015

16 State Team Championships and 6 State Team Runner Ups

18 Individual State Champions and Runner Ups in the Jumps

24 District Champions, 33 District Runner Ups

32 Conference Champions, 29 Conference Runner ups

139 State Qualifiers in the Jumps

59 State Meet Medal Winners

21 State Meet Medal winners in the Triple Jump

45 State Meet Qualifiers in the Long Jump

21 State Meet Medal winners in the Long Jump

41 State Qualifiers in the High Jump

17 State Meet Medal winners in the High Jump

  3 All Class Gold Medal winners

13 Jumpers over 45' in Triple Jump

15 Jumpers over 22' in Long Jump

20 Jumpers over 6-4 in High jump

Football Coach: 1973-2012

State Champions 2006

8 x Conference Champions

3 x Conference Runner Ups

10 x District Champions

8 x District Qualifiers

Coached on 9 District Championship Teams

Coached in 31 Playoff Games

Coached 16 Ranked teams in Final Top 10

Coached 7 Super-State Players

Coached 10 Nebraska Shrine Bowl Players

Assistant Coach in the Nebraska Shrine Bowl - 2009

Assistant Coach in the Nebraska East West Football Game-1992

Nebraska Coaches Association 2X Assistant Coach of the Year

National High School Coaches Association  Assistant Coach of the Year

Nebraska Coaches Association Level I, II, III, IV Career Milestone Awards

 

1972 KHS Girls Track

Coach- Tom Zapp

Assistant coaches- Lynne Demmel and Kathy Trout

Season record- 2nd-McCook Invitational

2nd-Grand Island NW Invitational

2nd- McCook Triangular

3rd- Lexington Invite

District- !st Place

District Qualifiers- Kathy Welter- 1st in 50 yd hurdles, 2nd in 400yd dash and 220 yd dash

Shannon Welch- 1st in 220 yd dash, 3rd in 100 yd dash

Patty Campbell-2nd in 880

Shannon Welch, Patty Campbell, Pam Butterfield, Holly Erickson-1st in 880 Relay

Ann Richardson-2nd in discus, 2nd in shot put

State Champions - 29 points scored

Medal winners: Kathy Welter-1st in 50 yd hurdles, 2nd in 220

Shannon Welch-1st in 220, 3rd in the 100

Patty Campbell-5th in 880

Shannon Welch, Patty Campbell, Holly Erickson, and Pam Butterfield-1st in 880 Relay

 

1966 KHS FOOTBALL TEAM

Coaches:

Head Coach: Claire Boroff

Assistant Coaches: Riley Harris, Dennis Long and Jack Ramey

OFFENSE:

School Record Season Total Offense

3,201 Yards/ 356 Yards Per Game

School Record Season Rushing Offense

2,459/ 273 Yards Per Game

School Record Season Total Points

261 Points Points/ 29 Points Per Game

School Record Largest Win Margin (McCook-60)

School Record Most Points Scored (McCook-60)

DEFENSE

School Record Season Shutouts - 6

School Record Season Interceptions - 11

Yards Per Game Allowed - 160.7

School Record Season Points Allowed - 27

Average Points Allowed Per Game - 3

TEAM:

49 Players - 18 Seniors/14 Juniors/17 Sophomores

West BIG 10 Conference Co-Champions

Record 8-1

5 x Players All Big 10

4 x Players Shrine Bowl

 

BRANDT Family

JB Brandt - Class of 1998

Amity Brandt - Class of 1998

Cole Brandt - Class of 2024

Cooper Brandt - Class of 2029

Luke Brandt - 2000, 2001, 2002 -track, 2001, 2002, 2003 -football, 2001 -basketball, 2001 - 3 sport letter letter, Graduating year -2003

Ashley Brandt- 2005, 2006 - Volleyball, 2006, 2007, 2008-Track, 2006, 2007, 2008-Basketball, 2006 -3 sport letter letter, Graduating year -2008, Breckyn Brandt - Future KPS student, Price Brandt - Future KPS student

 

MOLINA FAMILY

“What a true honor to be embraced by a high school that cared about the Molina Family.

We have never been more proud to represent Kearney High School and the Molina name. All any of us have ever wanted was to compete to the fullest for all the coaches that have positively supported all of us throughout the many years at KHS. Each and every coach whether it was football, softball, baseball, track or wrestling impacted each of our lives in different ways. Thank you all for the memories and life lessons learned. We are truly honored to be part of the Kearney High Family. Thank you to all the spectators and coaches. GO BEARCATS! #molinastrong #foreverbleedblue&gold”

Fred Molina, George Molina, Scott Molina, Eric Molina, Vinnie Molina, Marty Molina, Noah Molina, Lacy Molina, Abel Molina, Bella Molina