The 2024 edition of the Cornhusker State Games started with a July 6 shoot at the Turpin Outdoor Education Center and ended Sunday with several events in Lincoln, Omaha and more.
Washington County athletes tested themselves across these dates and sports, earning several first-place medals along the way.
Archery
Several members of Blair's Orion Archery Club were successful during the State Games. Susan Bensen, a 2023 Nebraska Sports Council Athlete of the Year, earned two gold medals in her Female Senior Traditional category, according to incomplete overall results accessed Monday at cornhuskerstategames.com.
Chauncey Wilkins, meanwhile, earned one gold and one silver medal in Male Senior Traditional as Myron Carlson took home a silver and bronze. Bill Gottberg secured a second-place finishin in Male Senior Freestyle Limited Recurve, too, while Dan Trumblee took home a runner-up result in the Bowhuter Freestyle event.
BMX
Caden Butler, the nephew of Kennard BMX rider and X-Games athlete Jacob Thiem, earned a silver medal at the State Games this month. He competed in the intermediate category.
Cycling
Blair cyclist Nick Muller of Blair covered 42 miles during the Cornhusker State Games' Gravel Grinder race. He finished those miles in 3:01:15, securing a fourth-place overall finish.
Golf
Blair brothers Brock and Brody Deutschman earned a pair of gold medals during the Youth Golf State Championships. Brock was first in the age 11-12 boys division, shooting a 79 to win by three strokes.
Brody, meanwhile, finished his round in 70 swings, besting the second-place golfer in the age 9-10 division by 11 strokes.
Pickleball
Laurel Derry led Washington County in pickleball during the State Games, earning two gold medals in doubles play.
She joined Shawn Hamilton for first in the the Women's Doubles 4.0 Senior category, while also securing the top finish with Marion Polk in the Mixed Doubles 4.5 Seniors event.
John Derry, meanwhile, secured a silver medal with doubles partner Jeff Kleckner in the Men's Doubles Senior division.
Swimming
Washington County swimmers Jane Busboom, Lizzie Meyer, Allisen Larsen, Kerrigan Johannes, and Hannah and Olivia Huenink all competed in the Cornhusker State Games pool in Fremont.
Busboom, a Blair High School student-athlete, was first in the mixed 400-meter relay with John and Hope Roscoe, and Zayne Keslar. The team finished in 4:27.52, while Busboom also took second in the individual 100 backstroke.
Meyer, a recent Arlington High School graduate, took second in the 50-meter freestyle, too. She touched the wall in 29.93 seconds, while also earning a third-place finish in the 400-meter medley relay.
Larsen's best finish of the State Games meet came in the 50 breaststroke. She took fourth in 46.09 seconds.
Johannes was second in the same 50 breaststroke race, clocking in at 40.91. She was third in the 200 freestyle, too.
Hannah Huenink's top finish of the meet came in the 200-meter backstroke. She was fifth in 3:08.3, while her sister, Olivia, was fourth on two separate relay teams with Derrik Rasmussen, Tate Cody, Austyn Larsen, Carter James and Charley Fager as her teammates.
Track
Omaha Creighton Prep student athlete Silas Bush of Blair took first during both the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the State Games. He won the races in 11.09 and 22.57 seconds, while also earning fifth in the long jump.
Sandy Maryott of Blair won three throwing events, too. She was first in the age 75-79 discus, covering 60 feet, 2 inches with her best attempt. Her winning shot put and javelin attempts traveled 26-7 and 67-2, respectively.
Mike Maryott was first in the age 70-74 javelin, too. His best attempt covered 77-2, while his top discus attempt went 77-3 for second.
Daniel Cutler was second in the age 70-74 50-meter dash, too. His silver-medal effort took just 8.51 seconds.
Triathlon
Blair High School graduate Sam Lueders earned sixth overall out of 95 competitors at the State Games' triathlon. He finished the event in 1:04.37, swimming for 9:13, cycling for 34:42 and running for 18:23 with some time in-between for transitions between events.
The time was good for second in Lueders' age group.
5-kilometer run
RJ Matney of Blair completed a 5-kilometer run in 19:24 during the Cornhusker State Games. He was ninth overall in the event and finished second in his age 20-24 age group.
HELP US REPORT MORE
Not all Cornhusker State Games results are easily available online.
Result searches by hometown I made in the past on the cornhuskerstategames.com website were impossible this year during the construction of this article. Without that option and with several sports left unmentioned, I've only included 2024 results of people included in my past recaps of the State Games — because I know they do or used to live in Washington County — and of people I know through my seven-plus years of work in the community.
As a result of this incomplete coverage, however, I need your help. Please email sports@enterprisepub.com with any State Games results I may have missed. Details and photos are welcome to our coverage. Thank you.
— Grant Egger, Enterprise Sports Editor
