Rylie Cascio Jensen of Fremont has been named the state's Gatorade girls basketball player of the year.
The 5-foot-10 senior guard averaged 22 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Tigers (21-7). She shot 45 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 78 percent from the free-throw line.
The South Dakota recruit set a Class A record by sinking 34 consecutive free throws. She has maintained a 3.88 grade-point average and is a National Honor Society member.
Hall tabs DeBoer, O'Boyle
Gary DeBoer, formerly of Lawrence-Nelson, and George O'Boyle of Lincoln Pius X have been chosen for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association's hall of fame.
Both have been World-Herald coaches of the year, DeBoer in 2003 after a repeat Class C-2 state football title and O'Boyle in 2008 for continued success in track.
They will be among 30 inductees at the NHSACA national convention in Louisville, Kentucky, on June 26.
Ord junior honored
Ashley Carson, a junior at Ord, has been selected the 2016 national recipient of the High School Spirit of Sport Award by the National Federation of State High School Associations.
The award recognizes individuals who exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics, an NFHS press release said.
Ashley and her twin sister, Andrea, were born six weeks premature. Due to a blockage of an artery while developing in the womb, Ashley was born with numerous facial deformities that included a cleft lip and palate, no left eye or left ear, and deformities to her nose and jaw structure. She has been through eight surgeries - the first one at six months - all to give structural repair and to improve cosmetic appearance.
She played an integral role on the Ord volleyball team that was Class C-1 runner-up last fall. She will be recognized June 29 at the NFHS's summer meeting in Reno, Nevada.
State A.D. awards
Keith Muller of Wilber-Clatonia is the Nebraska State Interscholastic Administrators Association's athletic director of the year.
He was honored last week at a luncheon in Lincoln.
District Athletic Directors of the Year: District I, Pat Gatzemeyer, Lincoln High; District II, Shaun Brothers, Platteview; District III, Greg Conn, Wausa; District IV, Seth Ryker, Gothenburg; District V, Scott Schoneman, Holdrege; District VI, Gus Brown, Valentine. Assistant Athletic Director of the Year: Lance Smith, Millard West. Award of High Distinction: Mike Purdy, NSIAAA Executive Director. Outstanding Service Awards: Heath Kramer, Malcolm; Jim Gunderson, Elm Creek; Tom Osterbuhr, Grand Island; Jerry Dahlgren, Hay Springs; Rich Brodersen, Kearney; Kristie Hayes, Ponca; Craig Manley, Morrill; Sheily Benben, Gordon.
Coaching hires
» Ryan Kearney will be only the third football coach in Lincoln Pius X history, following Vince Aldrich and the coach who hired Kearney as an assistant in 2004, Pius Athletic Director Tim Aylward.
» Kevin Meyer is Beatrice's next football coach after serving last year as defensive coordinator for the Orangemen under retiring coach Bob Sexton. Meyer previously was at Fremont during 22 years as a head coach. After Fremont, he coached in Missouri, Iowa and Colorado.
Basketball notebook
» Aurora Overland repeated as Colorado's 5A boys champion. The Trailblazers handed Nebraska champion Omaha South its only loss in a 28-1 season, 59-55 at the Heartland Hoops Classic on Feb. 13 in Grand Island.
» Walthill's boys received their Class D-1 runner-up trophy from an alum, Battle Creek superintendent and Nebraska School Activities Association board chairman Jay Bellar. He was a starter on Walthill's other runner-up team in 1976.
» Three Siske brothers from Ralston coached in the boys state tournament - and two were for state runner-up teams. Tony is head coach at Scottsbluff and Randy an assistant at Mead. Josh is an assistant at Papillion-La Vista, which made the semifinals. A fourth brother, Tommy, is an assistant at Ralston.
Junior Jay Hall of Fame
Inducted recently into Omaha Creighton Prep's athletic hall of fame were athletes Roman Roh (1935), Rich Moscrey (1944), Tom Sutko (1976), Brad Kucera (1984), Mickey Anderson (1986), Dan Lohmeier (1987) and Tim Ridder (1995); coach Dudley Allen; contributor Tom Dineen (1967); and the 1994 state champion basketball team.