Gretna and Lexington each added another trip to a boys soccer state title game in Saturday night’s Class B semifinals. Lexington, who has finished as runner-up three times in the past five tournaments, upset reigning champion Schuyler 2-0, while Gretna, which played in back-to-back Class A title games in 2022 and 2023, rallied to defeat Elkhorn North 2-1.
Gretna 2, Elkhorn North 1
Gretna boys soccer coach John Cover told his team after a scoreless first half against Elkhorn North that goals would come if they kept up their form in the second half, and Alex Sowinski kept his coach’s promise.
Sowinski scored two goals in a span of two minutes midway through the second half to lift the top-seeded Dragons to a 2-1 win over the Wolves in the first Class B state semifinal Saturday evening at Morrison Stadium.
“Just play the same way,” Cover said of his halftime message. “We were playing fantastic football. It was way better than the previous game. We had a ton of shots off that we were wanting, and I just told them it was going to come, just keep playing.”
Gretna (16-1) will play in its first state title game since 2023 (Class A loss to Omaha Creighton Prep). The Dragons last played in the Class B title game in 2014, losing to Scotus Central Catholic in overtime.
Despite the chances with nine shots in the first half, the Dragons trailed 1-0 at halftime.
Sowinski quickly changed that midway through the second half. An Elkhorn North foul gave the Dragons a free kick from 30 yards out in the 58th minute. Sowinski shot the ball under the leaping Elkhorn North wall and beat keeper Mason Ferry inside the near post.
“He’s scored those free kicks in the past, and as soon as it was set up, I figured he was going to score that,” Cover said. “He’s been that natural goal scorer at free kicks for us.”
Like his coach, Sowinski realized he had a good chance to score on the set piece.
“I had one previous (free kick) too the first time I played them, so I kind of knew what I was doing with it,” he said. “I knew where I was going with that one, so I just wanted to replicate that.”
Just under two minutes after his first goal, Sowinski put Gretna in front for good. The Dragons received a penalty kick when a Wolf fouled Noah Jones in the box, and Sowinski stepped up and slotted it past Ferry into the left side of the net.
“I couldn’t watch that one go, but he’s just been fantastic all year round with those moments,” Cover said.
Sowinski came to Gretna in January after playing the start of his high school career for Seacoast United, an MLS Next Academy in New Hampshire, and spending time at TOVO Academy in Spain
His older brother Tommy scored 17 goals for the Dragons as a senior in 2023, and Alex wears No. 17 for Gretna like Tommy did.
Sowinski made sure to find Tommy in the stands to celebrate after each of his goals.
“It was amazing, a different feeling,” he said. “(Tommy’s) been in college all season and now he’s back for states. He means a lot to me. I almost teared up over there because I was celebrating with him.”
Jack Olson put the Wolves (14-4) ahead 1-0 in the ninth minute. He took a pass from Mason Mercer and put it past Gretna’s Grant Stangl.
Ferry finished with eight saves for Elkhorn North.
Gretna recorded an 18-10 advantage in shots and had eight corner kicks to one for Elkhorn North.
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Lexington 2, Schuyler 0
Schuyler entered Saturday’s semifinal against Lexington averaging four goals per match, but the Minutemen never let the Warriors get on track.
Sixth-seeded Lexington kept the reigning Class B champion Warriors off the scoreboard for the first time this season in a 2-0 win to send the Minutemen to their fourth title game in the past six seasons.
Lexington (15-5) limited the Warriors to five shots, with Alexis Alvidrez-Cardiel making three saves for the shutout.
The Warriors (19-2) won the regular season contest between two sides, but Lexington coach Joel Lemus thought his side had a good game plan for the rematch.
“We talked a lot about what we needed to do,” he said. “I felt comfortable in our approach to the game. I felt like we knew where we needed to target, and we hit those targets (Saturday).”
Davis Garcia-Corzo put Lexington in front 1-0 with a penalty kick in the 22nd minute. His attempt came after a Lexington player got tangled up in the box with Schuyler goalkeeper Marcos Gomez, resulting in a foul on Gomez.
The Minutemen held their one-goal advantage until Jose Navarrete-Escobedo doubled the lead in the 51st minute. He put a loose ball from close range inside the far post past a diving Gomez.
“I saw the goalie let the ball go, and I was just there at the perfect moment,” Navarrete-Escobedo said. “I was just hungry to make it in.”
The Warriors could not break down the Minutemen defense over the final half hour, and the final whistle set off a raucous celebration on the Lexington side of the field.
After the postgame handshakes, the Minutemen exchanged celebrations with their supporters, who numbered in the hundreds.
“It feels really good to bring smiles to the faces in our community,” Lemus said. “Look at how many people are here. You’ve got this weather that was going to come, not come, and I think some people came and didn’t come, and so, it’s a very cool, very special feeling to have this kind of support.”
Lexington head coach Joel Lemus was overcome with emotion following Lexington’s 2-0 win over Schuyler.
Following the game, he shared what the semifinal win meant to him and the community of Lexington. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/ek4qZDZOWQ
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) May 17, 2026
