2026 NSAA Track & Field Championships Preview

In any given year, spectators at the NSAA state track meet might be lucky enough to see a class record holder or two perform on the state’s grandest stage at Omaha Burke Stadium. The past two years have been anything but a small sample, however, as Nebraska high school track and field has seen records break almost each week during the past two spring seasons. 

Last year, heading into the state meet 15 class records had been broken, but athletes have upped the ante in 2026. This year, 18 new records have been set – with a significant run in Class C – during the season and four athletes over five events come to Omaha as all-time, all-class record holders. 

Among the slew of athletes that will take the track on Wednesday and Thursday for the Class A and B meet is Bellevue West junior Jaiya Patillo, who has had a stranglehold on the girls 400 meter record for most of the last two springs. 

But spectators will ramp up their expectations even more on Friday and Saturday when three more athletes – over four events – will showcase their talent in the Class C meet. Kearney Catholic’s Hazel Haarberg (100 and 200 meter record holder) and Alyssa Onnen (pole vault) look to lead the Stars to a third consecutive girls title. 

And, on the boys side Chase County’s Noah Rau has taken the state – maybe the nation – by storm with his record setting discus season. He set the all-class and Class B record last season at the state meet, but has bettered that mark of 203-9 three more times this season. His new best of 219-6 set at his conference meet is now the second best throw in the nation this season. 

All three athletes – Haarberg, Onnen and Rau – will compete for the University of Nebraska next season. 

Some may have missed Noah Rau throwing the discus at the state meet last year. 

Then a junior, he had yet to reach 170-feet in competition when the season started. He hit 190-feet for the first time on May 2nd, then popped off a 198-10 throw in districts that paved the way to his Class B state title and record-breaking throw that finally topped Schuyler legend Marty Kobza’s mark.

After a summer of recruiting – and an appearance at the prestigious Nike Nationals Meet in Eugene, OR – Rau has been consistently over 200-feet most of the spring with a season best throw of 219-6. 

“When your best athlete is your hardest worker, that’s when you see excellence like Noah has, but it’s contagious,” Chase County coach Greg Zuege said. “You can’t put a value on a kid like Noah.

“He’s in the weight room at 6:00 AM every day; he comes out by himself and throws on the weekend. I think early last year, we knew we’d have a good one. I am not sure we fully expected this, but he has done everything it takes to get to this level.”

The Class C boys discus competition kicks off the final day of competition at 9:00 AM, with Rau in the final flight with an approximate time for his prelims to begin at 10:00 AM. 

Haarberg, Onnen set for one last state trip

That it has become common to show up at a track meet and watch Alyssa Onnen and Hazel Haarberg decimate the competition speaks to what a special run the senior duo has put together for Kearney Catholic.

Beginning Friday, the pair compete in their final state track meet together, bringing a close to one of the most dominant stretches of small school track success Nebraska has ever seen. 

Onnen and Haarberg are, quite literally, two of the best to ever do it in girls track in this state. Between them they own three all-class state records and have few peers at the Class C level.

So enjoy it one final time, track fans as the two Stars try to add to their total of seven all-class gold medals.

“They are leaders,” Kearney Catholic coach Todd Russell said. “When you look at Hazel after the 200 (at districts), she broke the state record but she turned around and hugged Kynlee Ruyle (a sophomore at Kearney Catholic) because Kynlee was second. And that is leadership. That is amazing.”

Amazing is a good word to describe Onnen and Haarberg’s accomplishments. Haarberg is the fastest girl in state history, her 11.54 in the 100 meters and 23.54 in the 200 better than anyone that came before her.

Onnen is the best girls pole vaulter the state has seen, clearing 13-4¼ to set a new all-class mark. This weekend, she’ll go for her fourth all-class gold medal in the event, trying to become the first to do so since Grand Island Central Catholic’s Jenny Green in 2003.

Onnen will also try to add a second Class C title in the triple jump, and a fourth top-three finish in the long jump. And just for fun, she’s added the 100-meter hurdles this season after battling injury much of her high school career.

Next year, when Haarberg and Onnen compete for Nebraska, the competition ramps up and the records don’t come quite as easily. 

But for now, there’s more history to be made.

CLASS A: Papio South looking for championship sweep

It doesn’t happen often, but a championship sweep could be in the cards in the Class A team races.

Papillon-La Vista South has a pair of title contenders in its boys and girls teams, as the girls go for their third championship in four seasons while the boys look for their first title.

If the team races this season are anything like last year, fans will be in for another treat. Papio South won the girls championship by one point over Lincoln Southwest, which figures to be one of the top challengers to the Titans again this year. Just two points separated the top three girls teams in a meet that came down to the final event.

A Papio South victory on the boys side would represent something new in a competition that has been dominated by Kearney and Fremont. The Bearcats and Tigers have combined for 21 of the last 31 Class A titles since Kearney began its run of 11 in a row in 1994.

The Bearcats will be right there again with their customary depth across the board. But, Papio South edged Kearney by six points to win the A-1 district meet, and beat Creighton Prep, another perennial contender, by nine to win the Metro Conference title, and have the potential to score in 12 of 17 events despite not having a state leader in any discipline. Sophomore Aiden Gehring is second in Class A in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200

A win would continue a spectacular stretch for Papio South’s boys programs. The Titans have played in the last two Class A basketball championship games, played in last fall’s state football final, and have their baseball team in this spring’s state tournament.

A Papio South sweep would also provide a bit of history. No class A school has swept the boys and girls titles in the same season in 30 years, when Kearney did so in 1995 and 1996.

In trying for their third title in four years, Papio South’s girls have one of the state’s top distance runners in freshman Emily Hegge, who is the heavy favorite to win both the 1,600 and 3,200, and will likely run a leg on the Titans’ 4×400 relay. 

Papio South has 23 individual entries and all three relays heading to Omaha as the Titans and Lincoln Southwest will once again duel with Kearney for gold.

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Jaiya Patillo, Bellevue West (Two-time defending champion and all-class record holder in 400, class leader in 200); Celia McCoy, Grand Island (defending champion in 100 and 300 hurdles, Utah commit); Claire Hellbusch, Lincoln North Star (defending champion in high jump, Auburn commit); Jaeli Franccini, Omaha Benson (defending champion in 100 and 200); Drew Streich, Norfolk (defending champion in high jump); Pierce Parker, Bellevue West (leader in triple jump, second in long jump, third in high jump, Colorado State commit) Ethan Laux, Creighton Prep (defending champion in 110 high hurdles); Josiah Bitker, Lincoln North Star (state leader in 1,600, state cross country champion); Evan Svoboda, Norfolk (tied for state record in 100, also leads state in 200, is third in 400); Maurice Purify, Omaha Westside (state leader in long jump).

CLASS B: After surviving loaded Eastern Midlands, Waverly boys and Bennington girls hope for more

Neither Class B state track title has left the Eastern Midlands Conference since 2021. And, with defending boys champion Waverly and girls champion Bennington a bus full of competitors to Omaha Burke on Wednesday, the title appears that it may not move leagues again in 2026. 

In early May, each team won their side of the conference meet with the Waverly boys edging Norris 106-101 in the team race. In the girls’ meet, the Badgers – who will move to Class A next year – scored 132 points, 30 points better than Gretna and 40 ahead of Waverly. 

“It has really seemed like the last few years our conference meets and some of the meets our teams host have been like a mini-state meet,” said Waverly coach Brian Benson. “But, I do think when you look at the meet again this year and who each team qualified it seems like the teams in our conference will be right there again.”

The Viking boys will bring 12 athletes across 15 events to the state meet this year, with gold medal opportunities from sophomore phenom Braxton Badman in both the 110 high and 300 meter hurdles. He has the Class B record in the 110s at 13.82 seconds. 

Benson said that Badman has delivered ever since he stepped on the high school track last spring. He finished second in the 110 meters last year at state and seventh in the 300s. 

“He was a kid who just played a whole bunch of baseball growing up ,” Benson said. “And then he went out for track in middle school and he started to think, ‘I might be pretty good at this.’ We have an exceptionally good hurdles coach – Allen Osborn – and recognized some stuff in him and he has really focused on it in high school.”

The aforementioned Norris, with the state’s top 400 meter relay team, is deep enough to stack points, Benson said. And he also mentioned a threat from Lincoln Pius X with a big group of distance runners that could play into the final teams results as well.

Breaking up the run for the Bennington girls may take something herculean, however. The Badgers have 23 entries in the Class B field and bring each relay as well. With top sprinter Addison Kuntz, Bennington has the top-seeded 400 meter relay and second-seeded 1,600 meter relay in Class B. Kuntz won the 100 and 200 at last year’s meet.

Bennington topped Waverly 80-69 in the team race a year ago, with Norris third. Central Conference powers Seward and Northwest were 4th and 5th and could factor in the same area again this week. 

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Addison Darnell, Auburn (state leader in 100 and 300 meter hurdles); Amarae Krafka, Northwest (state leader in pole vault, Nebraska commit); Addison West, Omaha Skutt Catholic (state leader and Class B record holder in the 400); Emma Steffensen, Waverly (top time in 800 and 1,600, member of state leading 1,600 meter relay team, Nebraska commit); Derek Russell, Aurora (state leader in discus and second all-class); Chayden Hoffmaster, Cozad (state leader and Class B record holder in long jump); David Krier, Lincoln Pius X (state leader in 1,600 and 3,200; member of state leading 3,200 relay team, Nebraska commit); Tyler Daly, Platteview (state leader in high jump and second all-class). 

 

 

Class C: The stars (and Stars) are ready to shine in loaded field

No class this year can match the star power of Class C. Literally and figuratively.

Kearney Catholic’s (mascot: Stars) Hazel Haarberg (100 and 200) and Alyssa Onnen (pole vault) own a combined three all-class state records. Chase County’s Noah Rau has obliterated Nebraska’s previous state mark in the discus. 

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Crofton freshman Avery Arens owns the state’s best times, all-class, in the 1,600 and 3,200. Bishop Neumann siblings Beau and Aubrey Fujan set Class C records in the 110 and 100 hurdles less than two weeks apart. Ogallala’s Shaydyn Rasby leads the state in the 300 hurdles.

In all, Class C girls own the top all-class marks in seven of 17 events. Kearney Catholic, behind Haarberg and Onnen, is seeking its third consecutive championship, and will have to hold off a stiff challenge from West Holt to do so. Going by seeds in each event, Kearney Catholic is projected to score 69 points with West Holt at 67. The Huskies have never won a track title on the girls side.

“West Holt is going to be very tough,” Kearney Catholic coach Todd Russell said. “They are really competing, and they have a lot of good athletes. We told our girls early in the season, ‘we’re going to coach you for the last three weeks of the season. And I really think our athletes are believing now that they can do it.”

Chase County’s boys, after back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024, are the favorites to climb the podium again in 2026 behind their strength in the field events with Rau in the throws, and pole vaulters Tate Hubbard and Spencer Kelley, in addition to good depth on the track. Battle Creek and North Platte St. Patrick’s could also pose a challenge.

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Kerstyn Chapek, Bishop Neumann (defending champion, class leader in 400); Chelsea Kottich, Elm Creek (class leader in shot put, discus); Trinity Chatfield, Ord (defending champion, high jump); Jaelyn Witter, Kearney Catholic (defending champion, 3,200); Zavier Mitchell, Alma (defending champion in long jump); Isaac Chavez, Amherst (class record in 100); Mannox Martin, Ravenna (Class leader, second all-class in shot put); Brody Galyen, West Holt (class record in 400).

Class D: For DCS, the eyes are on a rare repeat double

Dundy County-Stratton coach Mike Spargo’s biggest quandary this spring has been trying to figure out where to put his athletes in the best place to score points for his team. Remember, athletes can only be entered in four events per meet. 

Last May, his Tiger boys scored 87 points en route to the Class D title and the girls team was just one point behind at 86 points as they swept the team races. They are the overwhelming favorites to repeat the feat in Class D with leading marks in five events on the boys side and six on the girls based on full season results. 

While some things have changed for the Tigers, some have stayed the same. Most notably, the Bailey brother-sister combo and their domination of the throwing events. Junior Brock leads all classes in the shot put with a season best of 63-10, while senior sister Kennedy leads all classes in the discus with a throw 159-11. Both lead Class D in the other throw. 

But, things have changed a bit for the dominant Spargo sisters. 

Senior Clara – a Northern Arizona track commit – will not defend her title in the 100 meter dash, but instead run the 200 and 400 (where she is defending champion in both events) and the 400 and 1,600 meter relays. Sophomore sister Abi will join her on both relay teams as well as try for a hurdle double in the 100 and 300 meters, where she set the Class D record this spring at 43.85 seconds. Both relays have state leading times.

Abi Spargo leads the class in the 400, but will not compete in the event at state. 

“We let the kids have a little bit of input and our coaches have a lot of input, but we also like our kids to stay fresh during the season and do some things they don’t normally do,” coach Spargo said. “When districts come, we are putting together a team that can score as many points as possible (at state).”

The problem – if you can call it that – moves over to the boys where standout seniors Ethan Latta (long jump) and Kevin Garcia-Guzman (100 meters) have top-three marks in events they will not compete in at state. 

Instead, the boys will bring top relays in the 400 and 1,600 as well led by Latta and Garcia-Guzman. They lead in the 1,600 relay and trail just Anselmo-Merna in the 400 relay by .05 seconds on their season time. Latta, a Chadron State football pledge, leads Class D in the high jump. Garcia-Guzman, a Chadron State track commit, leads the state in the 300 hurdles and is second in the 110 high hurdles. 

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Addison Critel, Burwell (class leader in 800 meter run); Taylor McIntyre, Central Valley (class record holder in the 100, state leader in 200, long jump and triple jump); Kayleigh Betka, McCool Junction (2024 Class D cross country champion, fastest times in 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs, member of state leading 3,200 meter relay); Cameron Bunger, Wilcox-Hildreth (high jump of 5-6.25 leads class); Trevor Duryea, Anselmo-Merna (leading triple jump, third in long jump, member of state leading 400 relay team); Kael Garrett, Medicine Valley (defending champion in 1,600 meters, 2025 runner-up in 3,200, third place in 800 meters); Brennan Lindner, Pleasanton (class leader in 100 and 200).