Holdrege, Neb. – The Nebraska Prairie Museum is adding two more names to their “Sports Wall of Honor” this week. Matt Samuelson and Joy “J.T.” Berquist will be enshrined on Friday, June 14, during a program that follows the Phelps County Wall of Fame Dinner. The free-will donation dinner is scheduled for 5:30 pm at the museum and is open to the public.
Berquist and Samuelson have different credentials and are from two very different eras, but they have something in common. Besides their high level of athletic abilities, they both have Loomis ties. Berquist was born in the small Nebraska town in 1901, and Samuelson was a 1991 Loomis graduate.
JT Berquist attended Holdrege High School before moving to Lincoln where he graduated in 1919. He is one of the most accomplished athletes to come out of Phelps County despite the fact that he never played football in high school. While attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Berquist was encouraged to try out for the Cornhuskers thanks to his size and natural athleticism. He learned the game quickly and became a three-year letterwinner as an offensive lineman.
Berquist cemented his legacy after playing professionally from 1924-1927 for the Kansas City Blues and Kansas City Cowboys, before making one appearance as a Chicago Cardinal. The 6-foot, 3-inch, 235-pound left guard earned 2nd Team All-Pro in 1926.
Matt Samuelson played basketball for the Loomis Wolves before graduating 1991. While Samuelson was a multi-sport athlete, competing in football, basketball, and track. He’s best known for his work on the court. Samuelson scored 53 points in a game during the ’91 season. His offensive output was the highest total points scored in a game by any player in the state, not just Class D. The 1991 Wolves also qualified for the state tournament that year.
After averaging 24.7 points per game for his career in Loomis, Samuelson went to Nebraska Wesleyan where he played varsity basketball for one year in the 1993-94 season. Today, he resides in Holdrege with his wife Jessica and their two children.
