Video: Zack Zeleski's highlight vs. Anselmo-Merna
See the Overton big man do work on the gridironWith the 2014-15 school year winding down, we have decided to take a look at some of Nebraska's terrific multi-sport athletes. In order to be considered for this Top 10, these male athletes had to compete in a spring sport.
The Top 10 begins with Falls City Sacred Heart's Austin Malone, and ends with Millard South runner Reno Law. Both athletes should be making plenty of noise for their respective schools at next weekend's Nebraska State Track and Field Meet at Omaha Burke Stadium.
Six members of the Top 10 compete in track and Field, while another three have been hitting the links and Seward's Ben Klenke is putting up some huge numbers on the diamond this spring.
Nebraska's Top 10 boys spring athletes who performed well in other sports
1. Austin Malone, Sacred Heart (Falls City)Track and Field/Football/BasketballCompeting for one of the premier small-school powers, Malone is the only athlete in this Top 10 to be selected as a first team all-state selection in football and basketball in both the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star. To date, the senior has been credited with Class D's seventh-best long jump (20 feet, 8 1/2 inches) and the No. 2 triple jump (43-5 1/4). Malone averaged 15.8 points and 5.9 rebounds on the basketball court for the 20-7 Irish.
2. Tanner Borchardt, GothenburgTrack and Field/Football/BasketballA MaxPreps honorable mention All-American Team defensive lineman as a freshman, Borchardt has not disappointed on the track, on the court or on the gridiron throughout his prep career. The owner of several school records in basketball, Borchardt earned all-state status in football and basketball. Borchardt is Class B's leader in the shot put (58-0 3/4) and in the discus (169-8). He averaged a double-double every night, pouring in 16.8 points and ripping down 12.4 rebounds an outing on the basketball court.
3. Brady Delimont, AinsworthTrack and Field/Cross Country/BasketballDelimont has high hopes as Nebraska prep track and field teams prepare for a return to the state meet at Omaha Burke Stadium later this month. Delimont is the top producer in the Class C 1,600 meters (4 minutes, 29.8 seconds) and 3,200 (10:00.8) this season. Delimont averaged 20 points and six rebounds an outing last winter on the basketball court, and finished fourth at the Class D state cross country meet last fall, guiding the Bulldogs to a second-place team finish.
4. Vance Janssen, BlairGolf/Football/BasketballAfter he signed to play basketball at Division II Wayne State College, Wildcat hoops coach Brian Dolan likened Janssen to a Swiss Army knife for his ability to do it all on the court. Janssen's athletic career mirrored Dolan's assessment. On the football field, the 6-foot-2 senior hauled in 50 passes for 1,076 yards and 14 touchdowns, netting him first team all-state honors for the 7-4 Bears. On the court, the Class B second team all-state selectee averaged 20.4 points and 5.6 rebounds. Now, Janssen hopes to cap his prep athletic career with individual medalist honors on the links after tying for sixth a year ago with a 75-74 149.
5. Hunter Quinn, Southern Valley (Oxford)Golf/Football/BasketballAnother superb all-around athlete, Quinn has had major success on the links, on the court and on the football field. Last season's eighth-place medalist on the links in Class C began the 2014-15 school year with an all-state performance on the football field, catching 47 balls for 1,008 yards and 15 scores. As a member of John Miller's 22-5 basketball club, Quinn poured in 17.6 points and pulled down 9.3 boards while netting second-team all-state honors.
6. Zack Zeleski, OvertonGolf/Wrestling/FootballZeleski is not only a heavyweight on the wrestling mat and on the football field, but on the links as well. The 6-foot, 290-pound senior earned all-state honors on the gridiron before grabbing a runner-up medal in the heavyweight division of the Class D state wrestling meet last winter. Zeleski's 10th-place 85-80-165 finish at the state golf meet a year ago guided Overton to a 347-332-679 second-place finish.
7. John Nownes, Creighton Prep (Omaha)Track and Field/Cross CountryNownes leads a strong group of runners in the lower half of the Top 10. After finishing first at the Class A state cross country meet last fall, guiding Creighton Prep to a Class A team championship, the senior Junior Jay leads Class A and the rest of the state in both the 1,600 (4:15.10) and the 3,200 (9:12.55) and sits fifth in the 800 (1:56.48).
8. Ben Klenke, SewardBaseball/FootballWhile there are plenty of baseball players who would fit into this Top 10, Klenke has put together the best line in the state. Having amassed 24 hits, 20 runs scored and 19 RBIs already, the Class B all-state defensive back is hitting .436, has a .563 on-base percentage and holds a whopping .855 slugging percentage through 18 games in 2014-15. On the mound, Klenke is 3-2 with a 1.52 earned run average in 32.1 innings pitched while striking out 56 batters and walking just 14. Klenke was credited with 53 tackles, seven for losses, eight interceptions and seven defended balls on the football field last fall.
9. Ty Hansen, Fremont (Neb.)Track and Field/Cross CountryFremont was able to earn fourth place team honors at the Class A state cross country meet last fall on the strength of Hansen's third place individual finish. The soon-to-be Midland University runner holds the state's top 800 (1:52.73) time so far this spring and the second-best 1,600 (4:20.05) time. Throw in the state's 10th-best 3,200 clocking (9:48.38) and Hansen has set himself up to have one big spring on the track.
10. Reno Law, Millard South (Omaha)Track and Field/Cross CountryAfter earning the individual runner-up medal at October's Class A state cross country meet, Law has poised himself to expand his already large collection of medals. The senior holds the state's second-best 800 time this spring, and sits fourth with a 4:23.61 clocking in the 1,600. Law is also solid in the 3,200 after posting a ninth-best 9:46.94.
