August 19, 2009 - Dave Sutko, who participated in 25 events, and Kimberly Shrader, who returned from a national bronze-medal fencing performance just in time to clean up in the Cornhusker State Games, have been named the Games’ 2009 Male and Female Athletes of the Year.  Lincolnite Jim Peter, 57, earned the top senior award, competing in six different sports.

Sutko, 37, is a native of Omaha who now resides in Lincoln.  His 25-event saga began with a mile in the Torch Run June 25 north of Lincoln and ended with a gold medal in coed volleyball on July 27.  In between, he won 16 medals, including seven in one day on Saturday, July 18, when he completed 10 of the 25 events.

July 25, 2009 - It was an early morning for 10 year-old Ainsley Hostetler of Pickler and and a late evening for Footstock Champions Nicholas Michalak from Omaha and Amanda Lee of Lincoln, but all agreed competing in the 25th Cornhusker State Games was worth a short night’s rest.

Hostetler was the youngest competitor in the 1-Kilometer Open Water Swim at Holmes Lake, winning the 14 & Under Gold Medal in a time of 19:42.  Dave Sutko overcame more than a little open-water anxiety to notch events 22-24 and medal 13, a silver, in the Open Water 750-Meter Swim.

July 19, 2009 - Webb Body Shop edged Midwest Livestock in an all-McCook Coed B Softball Championship Sunday in the Cornhusker State Games.  Midwest won’t have to wait long for revenge however, as the two teams will play in their league tournament Tuesday night in McCook.  A third McCook Team, the Dirt Eaters, took the Gold in Coed Class D.

Games Executive Director Dave Mlnarik, who was on hand to present some of the softball medals, said he appreciated the hometown pride displayed by the McCook teams.

July 17, 2009 - Duncan native and 12-year NFL veteran Cory Schlesinger opened the 25th Cornhusker State Games Friday as the Opening Ceremonies Mystery Torchlighter.  The Ceremonies mark the beginning of competition in 63 sports for some 13,000 Nebraskans.

Schlesinger competed in the first Cornhusker State Games in 1985 as a wrestler and went on to a stellar football career with the University of Nebraska, scoring two 4th-quarter touchdowns in the Huskers’ memorable 24-17 Orange Bowl win over the University of Miami, capping a perfect 13-0 season in 1994.  The win secured the Huskers’ first national championship under coach Tom Osborne.