Five most dominant high school athletes in Nebraska history

The top five athletes from the Cornhusker State include three Hall of Famers, a Heisman Trophy winner and a two-time college All-American.

Bob Gibson, Omaha Tech, 1953
As a junior, Gibson helped lead Omaha Tech to the state championship game. He also played baseball in high school, but was a star in American Legion where he played on a state championship team. Gibson went to Creighton and averaged 20 points per game for one of the highest scoring averages in school history. He even played briefly for the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the St. Louis Cardinals and began his baseball career in the Major Leagues in 1961. He was a nine-time All-Star, a two-time Cy Young Award winner and a member of the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. He posted a 251-174 career record with 3,117 strikeouts.

Gale Sayers, Omaha Central (Omaha), 1961
A high school All-American in football, Sayers scored 243 career points and ran for 1,112 yards his senior year at Omaha Central. Also outstanding in track, Sayers set a state record in the long jump with a leap of 24 feet, 10.5 inches his senior year. At Kansas, Sayers earned All-American honors while rushing for 2,675 yards. As a member of the Chicago Bears, Sayers was the NFL Rookie of the Year, setting NFL records for touchdowns in a season and in a game. He had an injury-filled career, however, and rushed for 4,956 yards. He is a member of both the college and pro football Halls of Fame.

Richie Ashburn, Tilden, 1944
A starter for the basketball team in high school, Ashburn helped lead Tilden to the Class C state championship game. He was an outstanding outfielder in baseball, however, joining the Philadelphia Phillies in 1948. He went on to accumulate 2,574 base hits in his career with a .308 average. He was a six-time All-Star and a two-time National League batting champion. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

Bob Boozer, Omaha Tech, 1955
A teammate of Bob Gibson at Omaha Tech, Boozer was an All-State player as a senior and set league scoring records. He went to Kansas State where he was a two-time Big Eight Player of the Year and a two-time All-American. He also won a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics before joining the Cincinnati Royals. He played 12 seasons in the NBA and was an All-Star in 1968.

Johnny Rodgers, Omaha Tech, 1969
A four-sport star at Omaha Tech, Rodgers was All-State in football and was a standout in baseball, track and basketball. He won a Heisman Trophy at Nebraska and was a two-time All-American while setting an NCAA record for all-purpose yardage with 5,586 yards. He went to the Canadian Football League out of college and was a two-time division MVP and a four-time all-star. He played two seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers.

Also considered: Ahman Green, Omaha North, football; Tom Kropp, Aurora, basketball, football, track; Mike McGee, Omaha North, basketball; Marlin Briscoe, Omaha South, football; Ron Boone, Omaha Tech, basketball; Nile Kinnick, Omaha Benson, football; Eric Crouch, Millard North, football.