18 Days Until Gameday – Day #76 Saline County, Nebraska

[HuskerInCarolina]

We have 18 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Rock County, Nebraska.

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/19-days-until-gameday-–-day-75-rock-county-nebraska.8933732/

Saline County, Nebraska

• Established in 1855 and named for the false hope of salt sprints and salt deposits to be found in the area.
• License plate prefix #22.
• The population is ~15,000 (2025) and has been growing since 1960.
• The county is approximately 576 square miles.
• Wilber is the county seat, but Crete is the largest city in the county.
• The Big Blue River flows through the county.
• Shestak, NE is of Bohemian origin.
• Early in the county history, Pleasant Hill was the county seat from 1871-1878. Fires destroyed parts of the community in 1930 and with the railroad never coming through the town, Pleasant Hill became a ghost town.
• Swanton was originally named Morris, but because another town was named Morris, the town changed its name to Swanton after the Swan Creek in the area.
• Wilber is the official Czech Capital of the USA.
• The Dvoracek Memorial Library in Wilber was built using financial donations from inheritances left to Lillian Dvoracek. The library has a dedicated Czech Heritage room that preserves local and ancestral history.
• Wilber hosts an annual Czech festival every August on the first full weekend. It features polka music, kolaches, parades, and the Miss Czech/Slovak U.S. pageant.
• The VISE-GRIP wrench was invented by WM Petersen in the 1920’s in DeWitt. In 2008, the wrench manufacturer closed its doors in DeWitt and moved to China.
• The National Greyhound Association was founded in Friend, Nebraska in 1906.
• The Friend Police Department made history when it was recognized as the smallest police station in the world. It was originally a shed and in 1960, it was the shed was doubled in size so the Nebraska State Patrol could work out of that station as well.
• There are 253 bridges in the county.
• The Swan Creek Watershed Dam and Swan Lake provide opportunities for boating, camping, swimming, and fishing for Bluegill, Bullhead, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, and Catfish.
• Crete is home to Doane University, the oldest liberal arts college in Nebraska.
• Nebraska is 17-2 all-time against Doane. Nebraska lost to Doane in 1891 and 1894. The schools last played each other in 1912, with Nebraska winning 54-6.
• Crete was named after Crete, Illinois, and the town was chosen to start with a ‘C’ due to its location along the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad leaving Lincoln. The stops were named in alphabetical order at the time: Berks, Crete, Dorchester, Exeter, Fairmont, etc.
• Crete is one of the most culturally diverse small towns in Nebraska, with almost half their population coming from Hispanic heritage.
• In February 1969, a railroad derailment released a fog of anhydrous ammonia fumes from a tank car that spread throughout the town killing 5 residents and injuring 11 others as they were in their homes. 3 homeless transients who snuck aboard the train were also killed in the accident.

Former Huskers and Spotlights (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 11 letterman football players from Saline County, NE.

Lance Bobolz – WB 1990, Dorchester, NE.

• 5’10” 170lb wingback wearing #81.
• Played for Nebraska from 1989-1990, lettering in 1990.

Tanner Zlab – DB 2016, Wilber, NE.

• 5’10” 195lb defensive back wearing #33.
• 2x All-State player out of Wilber-Clatonia HS.
• Transferred to Nebraska from Doane.
• Provided depth in the secondary and a standout on the scout team.
• Played in 1 game at Nebraska, registering 1 tackle.

Clare Campbell – G 1930-1932, Friend, NE.

• 6’ 190lb guard wearing #58.
• Played at Nebraska from 1929-1932, lettering from 1930-1932.
• The 1930 team would finish 4-3-2 in Coach Dana Bible’s 2nd season.
• The 1931 team would finish 8-2 and Big Six champions in Coach Bible’s 3rd season.
• The 1932 team would finish 7-1-1 and Big Six champions in Coach Bible’s 4th season.

Jim Dittmer – OT 1985, Crete, NE.

• 6’3” 255lb offensive lineman wearing #59.
• Played at Nebraska from 1982-1985, lettering in 1985.
• The 1985 team would finish 9-3 and ranked #11 in Coach Tom Osborne’s 13th season.

Jim Dobesh – SS 1989, Crete, NE.

• 6’1” 185lb safety wearing #7
• Played at Nebraska from 1988-1989, lettering in 1989.
• The 1989 team finished 10-2 and ranked #11 in Coach Osborne’s 17th season.

Ronald Douglas – FB 1934-1936, Crete, NE.

• 6’10” 165lb fullback wearing #25.
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member.
• Passed away in 2015 at 100 years old. At that time he was the oldest living Husker player.

Theodore Fahrnbruch – FB 1932, Crete, NE.

• 5’8” 160lb fullback wearing #14.
• Played and lettered at Nebraska in 1932.

Blake Henning – LB 1986, Crete, NE.

• 6’ 220lb linebacker wearing #39.
• Played at Nebraska from 1985-1986, lettering in 1986.
• The 1986 team finished 10-2, Sugar Bowl champions, and ranked #5 in Coach Osborne’s 14th season.

Stephen Hokuf – E 1929-1932, Crete, NE.

• 6’ 195lb end wearing #44.
• 2x All-State basketball and football player, state champion in the pentathlon.
• Played football at Nebraska from 1928-1932, lettering from 1929-1932.
• He earned 9 letters in his time at Nebraska.
• 3x All-Big Six in football
• 2x All-Big Six in basketball
• 1933 basketball All-American
• 1933 Big Six javelin champion
• At the end of his career, the Omaha World Herald called Hokuf ‘the greatest all-around Cornhusker of them all’.
• He played 3 years of professional baseball for the Boston Redskins.
• Served 21 years as the athletic director and coaching football and golf at Baltimore Junior College where all 14 athletic teams won a conference or regional title under his leadership.
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member.
• Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame member.
• Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame member.
• Maryland Football Hall of Fame member.

Ryne Reeves – OL 2012-2015, Crete, NE.

• 6’3” 300lb offensive lineman wearing #65.
• 2x All-State player out of Crete HS and high school All-American.
• Played at Nebraska from 2011-2015, lettering from 2012-2015.
• Played in 38 games in his career, starting 14.
• 4x Academic All-Big Ten
• 2015 Pat Clare Award winner
• 2015 Native Son Award winner

Lyle Sittler – C 1962-1964, Crete, NE.

• 6’ 225lb center wearing #52.
• Played at Nebraska from 1960-1964, lettering from 1962-1964.
• 1964 Team Captain
• Started at center for Bob Devaney’s first 3 seasons at Nebraska.
• 1964 All-Big Eight
• 1964 Honorable Mention All-American
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member.

 

[HuskerInCarolina]

Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Saline County:

Dana Altman – Born in Wilber, NE. He played college basketball at Fairbury Junior College, now known as Southeast Community College, and Easter New Mexico University. He has been a college basketball coach since 1980 and is currently the head coach for the University of Oregon. He was the head coach for Creighton from 1994-2010. He has 9 Coach of the Year Awards in his career.

C. L. Edson – Born in Wilber, but moved to Kansas as a child. He was a newspaper columnist and poet who wrote for newspapers from New York to Kansas.

Josh Lamberson – Born in Wilber. All-American quarterback for Northwest Missouri State. Began coaching college football in 2006 and is currently the head coach at the University of Central Missouri.

Russ Karpisek – Born in Friend and grew up in Wilber. Owner of Karpisek’s Meat Market in Wilber and served as mayor of Wilber from 1994-2006. Served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2007-2015.

Laurence Wild – Born and raised in Wilber. Graduated from the Naval Academy in 1914, while playing basketball for the Midshipmen. He was a 1913 NCAA All-American. While a Captain in the Navy, he was appointed as Governor of American Samoa from 1940-1942. Under his command, the first airfield was constructed on the main island.

John Miller – Grew up in Friend and graduated from UNL in 1905. An aviation pioneer, he was the first to use aircraft to conduct land surveys.

Thad Weber – Born in Friend. He played professional baseball for the Blue Jays, Tigers, and Padres and is currently a major league scout.

Elvin Drake – Born in Friend and grew up in Colorado. He ran cross country for UCLA, earning 3 letters. He then was the head trainer for UCLA from 1942-1972 and the head track and field coach from 1947-1964. During that time, he led UCLA to their first national title and was named NCAA Track & Field Coach of the Year in 1956. He was the athletic trainer for all of John Wooden’s UCLA basketball teams. He is a member of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, UCLA Hall of Fame, US Track & Field and Cross Country Association Hall of Fame, and National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame. The UCLA track stadium is named in his honor.

Harold Montelle Stephens – Born in Crete. He was appointed as a justice and circuit judge in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia from 1935-1955 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman.

Teri Steer – Born in Crete. She attended SMU where she lettered in track and field and is a member of the SMU Mustangs Hall of Fame. She was a bronze medalist in shot put in the 1999 Pan American Games, bronze medalist in the 1999 World Indoor Championships, and was a U.S. Olympian in 2000 at the Sydney Games. Her son was 5 star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell in the 2026 recruiting class who signed with Miami.

John Chapman – Born in Crete and grew up in Illinois. Chapman would graduate from the University of Chicago and served as the 37th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 1953-1961.



GO BIG RED



Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://salinecountyne.gov/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saline_County,_Nebraska
https://nebraskacounties.org/nebraska-counties/county/saline.html
https://nebraskacounties.org/file_download/inline/e95300fa-e21c-4f1b-87ab-affa5d10a5c8
https://salinecountyne.gov/about-our-county/

 

[Baxter48]

If my memory serves me correctly there was a town called swan city that was the county seat for a short period of time

 

[Big bo fan]

If my memory serves me correctly there was a town called swan city that was the county seat for a short period of time

You have a good memory. First settlement county seat from 1865-71 . The railroad came through the in 71 and most people and businesses moved to either Wilbur or DeWitt to be closer to the RR . The last business was a flour mill that burned in 1891 . It became a ghost town after that . Pretty interesting read on a town that had a short history

 

[Wasker73]

Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Saline County:

Dana Altman – Born in Wilber, NE. He played college basketball at Fairbury Junior College, now known as Southeast Community College, and Easter New Mexico University. He has been a college basketball coach since 1980 and is currently the head coach for the University of Oregon. He was the head coach for Creighton from 1994-2010. He has 9 Coach of the Year Awards in his career.

C. L. Edson – Born in Wilber, but moved to Kansas as a child. He was a newspaper columnist and poet who wrote for newspapers from New York to Kansas.

Josh Lamberson – Born in Wilber. All-American quarterback for Northwest Missouri State. Began coaching college football in 2006 and is currently the head coach at the University of Central Missouri.

Russ Karpisek – Born in Friend and grew up in Wilber. Owner of Karpisek’s Meat Market in Wilber and served as mayor of Wilber from 1994-2006. Served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2007-2015.

Laurence Wild – Born and raised in Wilber. Graduated from the Naval Academy in 1914, while playing basketball for the Midshipmen. He was a 1913 NCAA All-American. While a Captain in the Navy, he was appointed as Governor of American Samoa from 1940-1942. Under his command, the first airfield was constructed on the main island.

John Miller – Grew up in Friend and graduated from UNL in 1905. An aviation pioneer, he was the first to use aircraft to conduct land surveys.

Thad Weber – Born in Friend. He played professional baseball for the Blue Jays, Tigers, and Padres and is currently a major league scout.

Elvin Drake – Born in Friend and grew up in Colorado. He ran cross country for UCLA, earning 3 letters. He then was the head trainer for UCLA from 1942-1972 and the head track and field coach from 1947-1964. During that time, he led UCLA to their first national title and was named NCAA Track & Field Coach of the Year in 1956. He was the athletic trainer for all of John Wooden’s UCLA basketball teams. He is a member of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, UCLA Hall of Fame, US Track & Field and Cross Country Association Hall of Fame, and National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame. The UCLA track stadium is named in his honor.

Harold Montelle Stephens – Born in Crete. He was appointed as a justice and circuit judge in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia from 1935-1955 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman.

Teri Steer – Born in Crete. She attended SMU where she lettered in track and field and is a member of the SMU Mustangs Hall of Fame. She was a bronze medalist in shot put in the 1999 Pan American Games, bronze medalist in the 1999 World Indoor Championships, and was a U.S. Olympian in 2000 at the Sydney Games. Her son was 5 star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell in the 2026 recruiting class who signed with Miami.

John Chapman – Born in Crete and grew up in Illinois. Chapman would graduate from the University of Chicago and served as the 37th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 1953-1961.



GO BIG RED



Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://salinecountyne.gov/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saline_County,_Nebraska
https://nebraskacounties.org/nebraska-counties/county/saline.html
https://nebraskacounties.org/file_download/inline/e95300fa-e21c-4f1b-87ab-affa5d10a5c8
https://salinecountyne.gov/about-our-county/

Not as noteworthy as the people of above but one of the best-looking women I know here in town was born in Friend. Her parents ran a tavern there probably 40-50 years ago. They moved when she was young to Las Vegas

 

[Anon1752115983]

Not as noteworthy as the people of above but one of the best-looking women I know here in town was born in Friend. Her parents ran a tavern there probably 40-50 years ago. They moved when she was young to Las Vegas

She could be as noteworthy if you would follow the rules and post some pictures!!!!!