2025 Girls Only QB - SHS Wins Second and Third

October 06, 2025

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Elkhorn High, Kearney Catholic High and Shelton High Named Champions at the 22^nd Annual “Jean Kolterman Memorial” “Girls Only” GFWC NFWC Quiz Bowl in Seward, Nebraska at Newly Renovated Civic Center. SHS QB Team A Places Runner-up  to Elkhorn and SHS Team B wins Third in Large School Division!

Three high schools were declared their division Champion at the recent GFWC NFWC “Girl’s Only” Quiz Bowl tourney held at the Seward Civic Center on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, in an all day, general knowledge quiz bowl completion involving 48 teams from across the state and into Iowa!  The annual tourney is sponsored by the Nebraska Federation of Women’s Clubs, INC (NFWC) and was hosted by the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club, with Diane Uher of the Clarkson Woman’s Club, serving as the GFWC NFWC QB Chairman.  At the tourney, it was decided by the coaches and leadership to rename the Girl’s Only Quiz Bowl event the “Jean Kolterman Memorial Girl’s Only” GFWC NFWC Quiz Bowl-as she created the tourney to promote young women and literacy.

Seward High’s Team A placed second, coached by Melissa Pohl and included Emmaline Janda, Emma Matulka, Bethany Jurchen, Kayla Albright, and Ava Slechta-with SHS Team B placing Third in the Large School Division consisting of Madelyn Larson, Addilyn Sugden, Katy Daniels, Sophie Hemphill, and Mackenna Wollenburg.

There were three tournaments, held simultaneously, each tourney based on school size.  The winners in the large school division were Champions-Elkhorn High School, coached by Nate Hindman Second Place-Seward High-Team A-Coached by Melissa Pohl, Third Place –Seward High Team B Coached by Melissa Pohl and Fourth Place-Grand Island Northwest-Coached by Katrina Rother.    In the middle size school division, Champion was Kearney Catholic High-coached by Paula Renken, Second Place was awarded to Fillmore Central Team A coached by Ryan Komenda, third went to Logan Magnolia High from Logan Iowa Coached by Kathy Foreman- and Fourth Place was awarded to Milford Coached by Jacob Luenberger.  In the small school division-Champion was Shelton High-coached by Shanna Held, Second Place-was awarded to Nebraska Christian coached by Dee Flynn, Third Place-was won by Oakland Craig High Coached by Michael Menish and Fourth Place was won by Nebraska Lutheran coached by Hannah Zabel.

 All the First-Place winners won a trophy and individual medals, and the Second Place Team won a Team Trophy.  The awards were presented by GFWC NFWC Representative and Quiz Bowl Chairman for the GFWC NFWC-Diane Uher of Clarkson.

The tourney was hosted by an all-volunteer force to make the event happen.   Volunteer readers and judges for the event were Sue Imig, Nancy Schulz, Andy Jensen, and Clark Kolterman of Seward, Melissa Pohl of Utica, Nancy Meyer of Geneva, Jenni Erhart of Osceola, Ellie Janda of Beaver Crossing and Kathy Wilcox of Crete, along with Clark Kolterman, who also served as the Quiz Bowl project coordinator and Riley Nuttleman who served as the Quiz Bowl Master.  They were assisted during the day by GFWC NFWC Quiz Bowl Chair-Diane Uher of the Clarkson Woman’s Club and District III of the GFWC NFWC. 

There were 48 teams in the tourney, with high schools represented from Elkhorn North, Elkhorn High, Elkhorn South, Gretna, Ralston, Grand Island Northwest, Bennington, Central City, Crete, Kearney Catholic, Logan Magnolia of Logan, Iowa, Seward, Wahoo, York, Cross County, East Butler, Exeter/Milligan, Filmore Central, Friend, Fullerton, Heartland of Henderson, Howells/Dodge, Humphrey, McCool Junction, Oakland Craig, Osceola, Sandy Creek, Shelby/Rising City, Thayer Central.

This is the 22nd year of the GFWC NFWC “Girls Only” Quiz Bowl, sponsored by the GFWC NFWC for girls in the greater Nebraska region-first established by GFWC leader-the late Jean Kolterman.  At the tourney, it was suggested by the coaches that the tourney be named the “Jean Kolterman Memorial Girl’s Only” Quiz Bowl to honor her leadership in creating this program for young Nebraska women.  The Nebraska Federation of Women’s Clubs, INC is the state affiliate with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)-serving under the theme of “Volunteer!”

Photo- L-R Seward High Team A First Runner-up in Large School Division Coach Melissa Pohl, Emmaline Janda, Emma Matulka, GFWC NFWC Representative Diane Uher of Clarkson Woman’s Club and the GFWC NFWC QB Chair, plus Team A members Bethany Jurchen, Kayla Albright, and Ava Slechta.