Lincoln (July 26, 2020)—The Cornhusker State Games high-school boys soccer division championship game at LSF Lincoln Sports Complex came down to the final kick as Papillion-Lavista South and Skutt Catholic ended regulation tied 1-1. In the end, after an inconclusive overtime period, Skutt claimed the gold medal with a 5-4 edge in penalty kick goals. In all, 14 teams enjoyed two weekends of competition and the chance to play together one last time after the cancellation of their spring season.
Zack Pittman, 16, of Martell claimed the overall gold medal in the 5K Road Race at Holmes Lake Park with a time of 17:18. Fellow teens Brandon Mitzell, 17, of West Point, and Devyn Beekman, 19, of Malcolm took the silver and bronze respectively. Kelsey Olivarius, 18, of Lincoln was the top female finisher with a time of 18:54.
Lincoln’s Joe and Daryle Petrzilka, competing as team Vermeer High Plains, took the gold medal with a five-fish limit weighing 17.52 lbs, in the bass fishing tournament Friday at Lake Wanahoo near Wahoo.
Open-Water Swimming at Branched Oak Lake went off without a hitch. Among the competitors was Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent John Bolduc, who brought home a gold medal in the men 50-54 one-mile division with a time of 28:54.
The top Pocket Billiards division gold was claimed by 71 year-old Dennis Muhs of Lincoln at Madsen’s Bowling and Billiards. Mackenzie Cuda, 15, of Lincoln won the female youth gold and 16 year-old Zerek Price from Columbus took the youth boys gold.
Deb Patracek, 45, from Crete claimed the gold medal in the top female Bowling division. Seth Hampton, 27, of Lincoln won the top male division in action at Sun Valley Lanes.
In all, more than 6,500 Nebraskans participated in the 36th annual sports festival for all Nebraskans, and Nebraska Sports Council Executive Director Dave Mlnarik was pleased with the turnout. In all, competition was held in 58 sports. Nine sports were cancelled, three sports were held virtually and five sports were postponed to dates later this year.
“I’m so grateful for the efforts of our staff, medical/safety committee, sport directors and volunteers for working to make the Games happen and implementing all the recommended safety measures. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department was instrumental, and super-responsive, and we wouldn’t have been able to move forward without great leadership from our board and a strong base of sponsors and donors,” Mlnarik said.
The Cornhusker State Games is a program of the Nebraska Sports Council, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization whose mission is to promote healthy and active lifestyle choices and provide quality competition for athletes of all ages and abilities. Platinum Partners include Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, Farmers Mutual of Nebraska and Nebraska Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine.