Millard North's Melissa MacFarlane has made an oral commitment to play women's college basketball at Colorado, beginning in the 2009-2010 season. The 6-foot-7 senior-to-be was a second-team Class A all-stater this past season. She averaged 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in leading the Mustangs to a third place finish at the state tournament.

Lincoln Southwest senior-to-be Stacie Hansen has made an oral commitment to play volleyball at Drake beginning in the fall of 2009.

Hansen, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, led the Silver Hawks to the Class A state tournament last fall as the team’s top attacker (299 kills, .341 hitting efficiency) and blocker (52 ace blocks). Hansen, a two-year starter at Southwest, was a first-team all-city selection and an honorable mention all-stater as a junior last season.

Hansen is currently playing club for the Nebraska Elite 171 team from Omaha which has qualified for the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic national tournament starting Saturday in Dallas.

BY RON POWELL
Lincoln Journal Star
NORFOLK -- Nicole Brungardt‘s physical attributes as an athlete are obvious.

Her speed, strength and jumping ability allowed the Norfolk Catholic senior and 2008 Lincoln Journal Star Girls Prep Athlete of the Year to set herself apart. Brungardt was the only female in the state during the 2007-08 school year to earn Super-State honors in both a fall (third-team volleyball) and winter (second-team basketball) sport and also win two all-class Gold Medals (long jump and 100-meter dash) at the state track meet.

Brungardt was the honorary captain of the Class C-1 all-state teams in both volleyball and basketball. She also won a third Class B gold medal at state track in the 200.

While there were plenty of highlights to Brungardt’s high school career, the 5-foot-9 Wayne State volleyball recruit had some challenging adversity to overcome along the way. Dealing with those tough times required a mental approach that’s almost as important as the physical skills.

“Nicole’s always been able to put athletics into their proper prospective,” said her father, Tim Brungardt, a fullback on the Nebraska football team in the early 1980s. “When she was little, as soon as she was done with a sports activity, she was on to the next thing. She would say ‘let’s go swimming‘ or ‘let‘s go to the mall and shop.’

“She’s never been super emotional about a big win or a disappointing loss,’’ her father added. “Sports are fun, she loves the competition, but when the game is over, she doesn’t dwell on it.’’

That kind of attitude kept Brungardt going after some trying times, disappointment and heartbreak.

BASKETBALL
Norfolk Catholic’s Class C-1 girls state basketball title in March came one year after being on the losing end of one of the most dramatic finishes in state tournament history. The Knights led Crofton by two points in the final seconds, only to see the 2006 and 2007 girls athlete of the year, Amber Hegge, dribble work her way through the Norfolk Catholic defense and bank in an off-balance three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Warriors a 47-46 victory.

Brungardt never needed to replay those final seconds in her mind. “They showed it on TV around here all the time,” Brungardt said. “That‘s (the play) what sports is all about. It was a cool way for Crofton to win a state championship. Not so much for us.’’

The Knights‘ turn at late-game heroics came in March when they overcame a 14-point deficit late in the third quarter and rallied for a 52-50 win in the state finals over Bishop Neumann. Brungardt, who averaged 17 points per game as a senior, scored 19 points in the state finals, sharing team-high honors with junior all-state guard Jessica Zaruba.

“I still get nervous watching the tape of that game, knowing we were in that situation,” Nicole Brungardt said. “How we overcame everything and came together as a team in the fourth quarter is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, “Nicole had the look in her eye like ‘we’re going to get this done today,‘’’ Norfolk Catholic girls basketball coach Tim Kassmeier said of the two-year all-stater and four-year starting guard. “She did that a number of times through her career.”

TRACK
Brungardt came up with clutch performances late in the track season as well. She ran a :24.4 in the 200 at districts, moving her into a tie for third on the state‘s all-time charts in that event.

Her state meet started with the long jump on Friday, and she trailed Alliance’s Jordan Hooper going into her final jump. Brungardt scratched her first two jumps in the final, then uncorked a leap of 18 feet, 2 inches on her last attempt, matching Hooper’s best. Brungardt got the gold because her second best jump of the day was better than Hooper’s.

“I was pretty frustrated after scratching twice, but two negatives turned into a positive for me,” Nicole Brungardt said.

Things stayed positive for Brungardt Saturday, despite one setback. After the Norfolk Catholic 400 relay team was disqualified, Brungardt recovered to win the 100 and 200. She finished with six individual state track gold medals for her career.

“When the pressure is on her, that’s when Nicole does her best,’’ Knights girls track coach John Bellar said. “You don’t want to say Nicole Brungardt can’t do something because she usually can.’’

VOLLEYBALL
Which may be why Brungardt chose volleyball as her college sport, just for one last chance to get it right.

The Knights were undefeated and ranked No. 1 last fall when Centennial knocked them off 19-17 in the fifth game of their first round state tournament match. In 2006, they pushed eventual state champion Columbus Scotus to five games in the semifinals before falling 15-11 in the fifth. Brungardt fought through a case of vertigo at the 2005 state tournament, but the outside hitter still had 18 kills in a first round win over Chase County and 25 kills in a five-game loss to Lincoln Lutheran in the semifinals.

“I never felt so dizzy in my life as I did then,” Brungardt said. “I was in the locker room throwing up before that first match. The only thing I remember about that match was I had to really focus on the ball because sometimes I’d see two of them. I went to the hospital, got some medicine between matches and I felt much better for the semifinals.”

Brungardt blasted 342 kills as a senior, but was also a defensive force with 362 digs. She added 66 ace blocks and 35 ace serves.

“A lot of people notice Nicole’s power at the net, but she’s a great all-around player who‘s absolutely phenomenal in the back row,’’ Norfolk Catholic volleyball coach Gail Borgmann said. “With her speed and strength, she came up with digs no one thought she could get.’’

COLLEGE
Brungardt had Division I college opportunities in all three sports, which made choosing difficult. She surprised people with her pick because most thought her first two sports were basketball and track.

Drake and Wyoming had interest in basketball. Nebraska and Iowa State made offers in track, looking at her in the heptathlon. David Lipscomb discovered her in volleyball, despite playing no off-season club ball.

Brungardt played three years of summer select basketball prior to her freshman, sophomore and junior years, two years with Nebraska Elite and one summer with the Pinnacle Bank All-Stars. The guard, however, decided to stay home last summer.

“I was burned out on basketball, I was done with it,” she said.

The choice then came down to Nebraska and Iowa State in track and Wayne State in volleyball. Brungardt eliminated track because she wants to play a team sport in college. A visit to a Wayne State spring practice in late March finally sold her, and Coach Scott Kneifl added Brungardt to an already strong recruiting class that includes second-team Super-State middle blocker Shelby Schultz of Cambridge and second-team Super-State outside hitter Tali Fredrickson of Grand Island Central Catholic.

“There’s so much I have to learn about volleyball and I’m excited about that challenge,” said Brungardt, an Academic All-Stater who will major in education at Wayne. “We have some very, very good volleyball players coming in, so I‘ll have to prove myself.’’

Kneifl calls Brungardt “a big-time athlete and a winner.

“You just can’t find an athlete as dynamic as Nicole, someone who’s extremely quick and jumps extremely well,” Kneifl said. “We‘ll be able to train her in multiple positions and see where she can help us the most.”

Norfolk Catholic's Nicole Brungardt added two more Class B gold medals Saturday to the long jump title she won Friday. She won both the 100 (:12.24) and 200 (:25.54), with the 100 time earning the all-class Gold.
Brungardt’s time in the 200 was well off the :24.4 she ran at districts. The district time is tied for third on the all-time charts. Columbus Scotus’ Amber Ewers, who finished fifth Saturday, was second at districts in :24.5, tied for fifth all-time.
“I don’t know what happened there (at districts). Someone was running for me, that wasn’t me,’’ Brungardt said, laughing. “I was shocked, but also very thankful.”
Brungardt finishes her career with six individual golds, including three straight 200 titles.

Off-season shoulder in November kept Kearney’s Kelsey Petersen out of the high jump until just a few weeks ago. But that was enough time for the senior to regain her championship form, winning the Class A girls title for the second straight year by clearing 5-7.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d even compete this year, so this is a surprise,’’ said Petersen, a 6-foot Super-State volleyball player and Iowa State recruit. “I’m glad I was able to do the last four meets and do that well.’’

Heartland junior Marli Peters won the Class C girls pole vault for the second straight year by clearing 10 feet, 2 inches, two inches less than her winning height last year.
“I’m really happy to come back and win because of all the pressure,” Peters said. “I‘m just glad I got through it.’’
Peters, who‘s best this season was a 10-9, had to battle through high cross winds Saturday at Burke Stadium. “I was hoping for 10-6, but I’m satisfied with what I did,’’ she said.

Class A
A-1 at Omaha Westside
Omaha Westside 6, Fremont Bergan 5
Millard South 15, Bellevue West 6
Final Monday, 6.

A-2 at Millard West
Lincoln High 6, Omaha South 1
Lincoln East 6, Omha Bryan 5
Millard West vs. Lincoln High
Final Monday, 5.

A-3 at Fricke Field, Papillion
Papillion-LV South vs. Norfolk
Bellevue East vs. Columbus
Final Monday, 5.

A-4 at Sherman Field
Lincoln Southeast 8, Lincoln Northeast 0
Lincoln North Star 5, Omaha Northwest 1
Final Monday, 6.

A-5 at Grand Island
Millard North 6, Omaha Central 5, 8 inn.
Grand Island 6, Papillion-La Vista 1
Final Monday, 6.

A-6 at Omaha Burke
Omaha Benson vs. Omaha North
Lincoln Southwest vs. Omaha Burke
Creighton Prep vs. Benson or Omaha North
Final Monday, 6.

Class B
B-1 at Elkhorn
Elkhorn 21, Norris 3
Blair 8, South Sioux City 3
Final Monday, 6:30.

B-2 at Beatrice
Omaha Roncalli 14, Crete 0, 5 innings
Gretna 8, Beatrice 3
Final Monday, 6:30.

B-3 at Omaha Skutt
Ralston 10, Wahoo 0, 5 inn.
Omaha Skutt vs. Seward
Final Monday, 6.

B-4 at Omaha Gross
Omaha Gross 7, Douglas County West 3
Lincoln Pius X 6, Nebraska City 5
Final Monday, 7.

Boys golf
CAPITOL CONFERENCE
TEAM SCORING: Ashland-Greenwood 427, Arlington 367, Fort Calhoun 351, Syracuse 337, Bennington 336, Wahoo 329, Douglas County West 314.
TOP FINISHERS: 1. Borreson, Wahoo, 77; 2. Larson, Wahoo, 78; 3. Preissler, Bennington, 78; 4. Petersen, DC West, 78; 5. Bleyenberg, FC, 78; 6. Conrad, DC West, 78; 7. Traynor, DC West, 80; 8. Murren, Wahoo, 80; 9. Watton, Wahoo, 81; 10. Brown, Arlington, 81.

Girls tennis
GRAND ISLAND 9,
NORTH STAR 0
SINGLES: No. 1—Olson, GI, def. Frohman, 6-0; No. 2—Root, GI, def. Walters, 6-0; No. 3—Zach, GI, def. Krzucki, 6-0; No. 4—Wiedel, GI; No. 5—Wheeler, GI; No. 6—Bandajack, GI.
DOUBLES: No. 1—Zach-Wheeler, GI, def. Worster-Krzycki, 8-0; No. 2—Helleberg-Wiedel, GI, def. Yarmolunk-Dodge, 8-1; No. 3—Root-Olson, GI.

Track
JOHNSON COUNTY CENTRAL
INVITATIONAL
At Tecumseh
BOYS TEAM SCORING: Syracuse 144, Louisville 88, Wilber-Clatonia 65, Weeping Water 52, Elmwood-Murdock 46, Falls CIty Sacred Heart 35, Palmyra 30, Southern 26, Conestoga 16, Johnson County Central 15, Lincoln Southwest JV 10.
EVENT WINNERS: 3,200 relay—Syracuse, 8:46.1; 110 hurdles—Neels, Syracuse, :16.1; 100—Gewinner, Weeping Water, :11.3; 400—Mammen, Wilber-Clatonia, :52.9; 3,200—Aden, Syracuse, 10:10.8; 200—Field, Palmyra, :23.4; 800—Lemmers, Louisville, 2:03.1; 300 hurdles—Neels, Syracuse, :42.1; 1,600—Aden, Syracuse, 4:45.2; 400 relay—Syracuse, :46.2; 1,600 relay—Wilber-Clatonia, 3:41.2; long jump—Abbott, Louisville, 19-3½; triple jump—Douglas, WW, 40-5; high jump—Abbott, Louisville, 6-2; pole vault—Rich, Syracuse, 12-0; shot put—Volkmer, Syracuse, 54-2; discus—Johnson, Louisville, 157-3.
GIRLS TEAM SCORING: Wilber-Clatonia 102, Syracuse 100, Johnson County Central 742/3, Falls City Sacred Heart 682/3, Weeping Water 63, Elmwood-Murdock 62, Louisville 27, Palmyra 11, Conestoga 11, Southern 7, Lincoln Southwest JV 51/3.
EVENT WINNERS: 3,200 relay—Johnson County Central, 10:31.0; 100—Buffington, WW, :16.9; 100—Hasenohr, Wilber-Clatonia, :12.7; 400—Reeves, FCSH, 1:04.5; 3,200—Martinez, JCC, 12:44.4; 200—Hasenohr, Wilber-Clatonia, :26.6; 800—Straube, JCC, 2:35.8; 300 hurdles—Buffington, WW, :49.5; 1,600—Searcey, JCC, 5:55.8; 400 relay—Wilber-Clatonia, :53.5; 1,600 relay—Syracuse, 4:26.54; long jump—Asher, W-C, 14-11½; Bober, E-M, 33-5¼; high jump—Kuker, FCSH, 5-1; pole vault—Wellensiek, JCC, 8-10; shot put—Landwehr, Syracuse, 38-5; discus—Riecher, W-C, 109-5.

AUBURN INVITATIONAL
BOYS TEAM SCORING: Lincoln Pius X 198, Auburn 127, Falls City 87½, Raymond Central 77½.
EVENT WINNERS: shot put—Christensen, RC, 45-5½; discus—Christensen, RC, 144-2½; high jump—Buckminster, FC, 6-0; triple jump—Wittmann, Auburn, 40-2; long jump—Hyland, PX, 20-3½; pole vault—Teten, Auburn, 14-1; 3,200 relay—Lincoln Pius X, 9:03.84; 110 hurdles—Binder, FC, :14.88; 100—Roettger, LPX, :11.15; 1,600—Blake, LPX, 4:41.31; 400—Zach, LPX, :51.28; 300 hurdles—Podany,LPX, :42.85; 800—Shepherd, RC, 2:02.75; 200—Roettger, LPX, :23.07; 3,200—Schlautman, LPX, 10:12.13; 400 relay—LIncoln Pius X, :45.63.
GIRLS TEAM SCORING: Lincoln Pius X 243, Auburn 149, Falls City 71, Raymond Central 43
EVENT WINNERS: shot put—Boruch, Auburn, 33-9; discus—Boruch, Auburn, 104-9½; high jump—Lacy, LPX, 4-10; triple jump—Lampe, Falls City, 31-6¼; long jump—Gerdes, Auburn, 15-7; pole vault—Gerdes, Auburn, 10-10; 3,200 relay—Auburn (M. Oestmann, Taylor, A. Oestmann, Kimball), 10:40.94; 100 hurdles—Pierson, FC, :16.5; 100—Grosserode, LPX, :12.84; 1,600—M. Oestmann, Auburn, 5:38.81; 400—Ross, LPX, 1:01.97; 300 hurdles—Hugo, LPX, :47.9; 800—Searcey, LPX, 2:26.53; 200—Grosserode, LPX, :26.06; 3,200—Meradith, LPX, 12:26.31; 400 relay—Lincoln Pius X, :52.15; 1,600 relay—Lincoln Pius X, 4:14.34.

Boys Districts
(All matches finals)
A-1 at Buell Stadium, Omaha
Millard West 4, Lincoln North Star 0

A-2 at Omaha Westside
Omaha Westside 3, Papillion-La Vista 2, SO

A-3 at Creighton Prep
Creighton Prep 3, Omaha Burke 2, OT

A-4 at Seacrest Field
Millard North 3, Southeast 2, SO

A-5 at Berquist Stadium, Omaha
Wednesday: Millard South 3, Omaha South 0

A-6 at Seacrest Field
Wednesday: Lincoln East 4, Lincoln Southwest 3, SO

A-7 at North Platte
Wednesday: Columbus 1, North Platte 0

B-1 at Doane College, Crete
Lincoln Pius X 2, Lincoln Lutheran 0

B-2 at Platteview
Waverly 2, Nebraska City 0

B-3 at Omaha Westside
Omaha Skutt 2, Gretna 0, OT

B-4 at Elkhorn
South SIoux City 2, Elkhorn 1

B-5 at York
York 2, Northwest 1

B-6 at Kearney
Lexington 7, Holdrege 0

Girls Districts
(All matches finals)
A-1 at Buell Stadium, Omaha
Wednesday: Millard North 2, Millard South 0

A-2 at Buell Stadium, Omaha
Millard West 6, Lincoln Northeast 0

A-3 at Seacrest Field
Wednesday: Lincoln Southwest 3, Omaha Burke 0

A-4 at Omaha Westside
Omaha Westside 4, Bellevue East 1

A-5 at Omaha Marian
Wednesday: Omaha Marian 2, Lincoln North Star 0

A-6 at Seacrest Field
Lincoln Southeast 1, Lincoln East 0

A-7 at North Platte
Wednesday: North Platte 1, Kearney 0

B-1 at Doane College, Crete
Norris 1, Lincoln Pius X 0

B-2 at Waverly
Platteview 2, Waverly 1

B-3 at Omaha Skutt
Omaha Skutt 1, Gretna 0

B-4 at Elkhorn
Elkhorn 8, Blair 0

B-5 at York
Hastings 2, Columbus Scotus 0

B-6 at Scottsbluff
Wednesday: Kearney Catholic 2, Gering 1

Boys Districts
(Finals unless noted)
A-1 at Buell Stadium, Omaha
Millard West 10, Omaha Bryan 0
Lincoln North Star 2, Papillion-LV South 0
Final Thursday, 8.

A-2 at Omaha Westside
Final Thursday, Omaha Westside vs. Papillion-La Vista, 6.

A-3 at Creighton Prep
Final Thursday, Creighton Prep vs. Omaha Burke, 5.

A-4 at Seacrest Field
Final Thursday, Lincoln Southeast vs. Millard North, 5.

A-5 at Berquist Stadium, Omaha
Omaha South vs. Millard South

A-6 at Seacrest Field
Lincoln East 4, Lincoln Southwest 3, SO

A-7 at North Platte
Columbus vs. North Platte

B-1 at Doane College, Crete
Lincoln Pius X vs. Seward
Beatrice vs. Lincoln Lutheran
Final Thursday, 8.

B-2 at Platteview
Waverly vs. Platteview
Plattsmouth vs. Nebraska City
Final Thursday, 6.

B-3 at Omaha Westside
Omaha Skutt vs. Brownell-Talbot/Concordia
Omaha Gross vs. Gretna
Final Thursday, 8.

B-4 at Elkhorn
South Sioux City vs. Mount Michael
Schuyler vs. Elkhorn
Final Thursday, 7:30.

B-5 at York
Final Thursday, York vs. Northwest, 6.

B-6 at Kearney
Final Thursday, Holdrege vs. Lexington, 4.

Girls Districts
(Finals unless noted)
A-1 at Buell Stadium, Omaha
Millard North vs. Millard South

A-2 at Buell Stadium, Omaha
Final Thursday, Millard West vs. Lincoln Northeast, 6.

A-3 at Seacrest Field
Lincoln Southwest vs. Omaha Burke

A-4 at Omaha Westside
Final Thursday, Omaha Westside vs. Bellevue East, 4.

A-5 at Omaha Marian
Omaha Marian vs. Lincoln North Star

A-6 at Seacrest Field
Final Thursday, Lincoln East vs. Lincoln Southeast, 7.

A-7 at North Platte
North Platte vs. Kearney

B-1 at Doane College, Crete
Final Thursday, Lincoln Pius X vs. Norris, 6.

B-2 at Waverly
Plattsmouth vs. Platteview
Waverly vs. Nebraska City
Final Thursday, 6.

B-3 at Omaha Skutt
Final Thursday, Omaha Skutt vs. Gretna, 5.

B-4 at Elkhorn
Final Thursday, Elkhorn vs. Blair, 5:30.

B-5 at York
Final Thursday, Hastings vs. Columbus Scotus, 6.

B-6 at Scottsbluff
Kearney Catholic vs. Gering