Class A State Championship Game Preview
Omaha Westside (12-0) vs. Elkhorn South (11-1)

When: Tuesday, November 21 at 7:15 pm
Where: Memorial Stadium (Lincoln)
TV/Stream: Nebraska Public Media
Last Meeting: 2020 Class A State Championship (Omaha Westside, 37-21)
NSAA Finals HQ
Flatwater Sports HQ
Live Stats
State Championship Game Previews: Schedule | Class B | Class C-1 | Class C-2 | Class D-1 | Class D-2

Omaha Westside (12-0)
State Championships: 1981, 1982, 2020, 2022 (A)
Runner-Up: 1975, 1979, 2006, 2013, 2019, 2021 (A)
Head Coach: Paul Limongi
Final NEBHSFB.com Regular Season Rank: No. 1
Offensive Average: 48.9 | Defensive Average: 3.8
Key Players: Nick Anglim (5’11/185, LB); Will Bauerly (5’11/185, K/P); Cameron Bell (6’0/280, DL, Jr.); Caleb Benning (5’11/195, WR/DB); Aaron Cardinale (6’1/245, OL); Keynan Cotton (5’11/180, WR, Jr.); R.J. Eckhardt (6’1/240, DL); Jordon Hurst (5’11/170, DB); Jonny Hurtado (5’9/215, LB, Jr.); Owen James (6’3/235, OL, Soph.); Christian Jones (6’3/215, ATH/LB, Jr.); Blake Keifer (5’11/190, LB, Jr.); Preston Okafor (6’2/170, DB); Jonquel Osler (6’0/230, DL); Broc Regner (6’5/285, OL); Anthony Rezac (6’4/200, QB); Teddy Rezac (6’4/200, ATH/LB); Jahmez Ross (5’10/190, RB); Beau Ryan (5’11/215, LB); Ty Sidzyik (6’1/190, LB, Jr.); Joe Soria (6’2/250, DL, Jr.); Trevor Spady (6’4/215, TE); Connor Wane (6’3/260, OL, Jr.); Jackson Wing (6’0/215, OL)

Omaha Westside
Riding a 19-game winning streak, the winners of two of the last three Class A state championships are making its fifth straight appearance in the state final. Over the past five seasons, Omaha Westside has compiled a 57-5 record, including wins in 47 of the last 49 games. Simply put, state championships are the standard at Omaha Westside.

Quarterback Anthony Rezac (2,072 passing, 29 TD’s; 870 rushing, 13 TD’s) has arguably been the best player in Nebraska high school football over the past two seasons, leading an offense with Jahmez Ross (1,399 rushing, 20 TD’s) being a crucial part of Westside’s gameplan out of the backfield. A sleuth of individuals help Westside’s receiving corps, led by Nebraska pledge Caleb Benning (39 receptions, 520 yards, 6 TD’s) and junior Keynan Cotton (28 receptions, 462 yards, 7 TD’s). Christian Jones and Trevor Spady are others to watch in the passing game. The offensive line is led by Broc Regner and Jackson Wing.

Defensively, Westside’s linebackers stand out. Beau Ryan (78 tackles, 10 TFL), Notre Dame commit Teddy Rezac (57 tackles, 5 TFL, ) and National Top 150 junior Christian Jones (53 tackles, 9 TFL) led the way, while the one of the best defensive lines in Nebraska is led by stalwarts R.J. Eckhardt (54 tackles, 8 TFL, 7 sacks) and Jonquel Osler (53 tackles, 12 TFL, 4 sacks). Benning (42 tackles, 7 TFL, 5 INT’s) and Division II commit Jordon Hurst (27 tackles, 3 INT’s) are the leaders in the defensive backfield. Will Bauerly has done a suitable job in both kicking and punting for Omaha Westside with big shoes to fill in both departments coming into the season.

Elkhorn South Storm (11-1)
State Championships: 2015, 2016 (B)
Runner-Up: 2020 (A)
Head Coach: Guy Rosenberg
Final NEBHSFB.com Regular Season Rank: No. 3
Offensive Average: 37.3 | Defensive Average: 11.0
Key Players: Brady Bousquet (5’8/180, RB); Tristan Brewer (6’1/215, DL, Soph.); Ethan Duda (6’5/205, TE/LB); Ben Gustafson (6’8/270, OL/DL); McCorter Goeser (6’1/205, LB, Jr.); Riley Hodges (5’9/160, WR/DB); Jack Homan (5’10/185, LB); Luke Hoskinson (5’11/165, WR/DB); Memphis Hurley (6’1/205, LB); Dylan Kingston (6’4/185, WR/DB/P); Cole Mackie (6’6/240, OL/DL); Devin Meier (6’0/200, TE/LB, Jr.); Ashton Murphy (6’5/260, OL/DL); Ty Nielsen (5’11/190, WR/DB); Brody Parks (5’11/175, K, Jr.); Cooper Perrien (5’11/220, OL/DL, Soph.); Henry Prochazka (6’4/220, DL); Carson Rauner (6’3/200, QB); Madden Riggs (6’3/200, QB, Jr.); Gavin Shanahan (5’9/185, RB/DB, Jr.); Aidan Skradis (6’3/180, WR); Austin Stroh (6’0/230, OL/DL); Jaydon Sutko (6’1/185, ATH, Soph.); Landon Tate (5’11/190, WR/DB, Jr.); Parker Thornton (6’4/275, OL/DL); Landon Wemhoff (6’3/200, LB)

Elkhorn South
After falling in the 2020 final to Omaha Westside, Elkhorn South gets another shot at a Class A state title, winners of two Class B titles in 2015 and 2016. Elkhorn South scored three touchdowns in a fourth quarter flurry that knocked out Millard South in the semifinals, avenging its only regular season blemish. Elkhorn South is 30-4 over the past three seasons.

Not a lot of schools could stomach losing its star quarterback, but the Storm have hardly missed a beat after capable junior Madden Riggs (962 passing, 12 TD’s) took over for the injured Carson Rauner. Backfield depth is key for the Storm, led by Brady Bousquet (1,222 rushing, 20 TD’s) and Gavin Shanahan (426 rushing, 5 TD’s). Riggs will have plenty of targets in the passing game, none more important than Luke Hoskinson (29 receptions, 376 yards, 3 TD’s) and recent Nebraska walk-on tight end commit Ethan Duda (259 receiving, 4 TD’s). The Storm feature one of the best offensive lines in the state, led by Nebraska commit Ashton Murphy and Northern Illinos pledge Ben Gustafson. Junior kicker Brody Parks kicked a 47-yard field goal in the state semifinal win over Millard South, giving the Storm another reliable point-scoring option.

On a defense that allowed 11 points per game and recorded three shutouts in 2023, Murphy (58 tackles, 6 TFL), Northwest Missouri State commit Henry Prochazka (35 tackles, 4 TFL, 3 sacks), and sophomore Cooper Perrien (50 tackles, 3 sacks) lead a productive front line. Ty Nielsen (60 tackles) and Landon Wemhoff (35 tackles, 3 INT’s), and junior McCorter Goeser (42 tackles, 3 TFL) give the Storm a solid linebacking corps, while Dylan Kingston (25 tackles, 3 INT’s) leads the secondary as well as handling the punting duties for Elkhorn South.

What to Expect
On paper, it looks like it could Omaha Westside by a mile. Give Elkhorn South some credit for being the team other than Omaha Westside that is left standing. Omaha Westside could be one of the best high school football teams Nebraska has ever seen. That would take experts to debate and decide. Elkhorn South as just as good of a shot as anybody in Class A to dethrone Omaha Westside.

2023 Class A NSAA State Playoffs

Semifinal Scores: Omaha Westside 41, Millard West 0; Elkhorn South 24, Millard South 13

Quarterfinals: Omaha Westside 49, Bellevue West (0; Millard West 31, Grand Island 7; Millard South 45, Omaha North 0; Elkhorn South 24, Lincoln East 19

First Round: Omaha Westside 54, Omaha Creighton Prep 6; Bellevue West  48, Papillion-La Vista 34; Grand Island 29, Kearney 19; Millard West 49, Millard North 14; Millard South 38, Lincoln North Star 0; Omaha North  35, Gretna 34 (2 OT); Elkhorn South 42, Papillion-La Vista South 8; Lincoln East  24, Lincoln Southeast 17