Once Omaha Marian took the lead Tuesday night, the defense took control of the match.
The Crusaders limited Elkhorn South to two shots over the match’s final 55 minutes and recorded their 15th shutout of the season in beating the Storm 2-0 in the Class A girls soccer state championship game at Morrison Stadium.
The title is the first for the Crusaders since 2017 and their state-best 15th for the program.
“There’s a big gap in there, but our culture still stays the same, and we’re still going to keep rocking it,” Marian coach Teresa DeGeorge said.
Goalkeeper Audrey Connealy and Marian defenders made five saves, including four in the match’s first 25 minutes. Connealy denied a Blu Keiper attempt that she tipped over the crossbar in the third minute, and she stopped a Gabby Wagenfuhr effort in the fifth minute to keep the game scoreless.
“I thought we had three really good opportunities in the first 10 minutes, and we couldn’t get them to fall,” Elkhorn South coach Lindsay Aliano said. “The MVP of their game is their goalkeeper by far. She stopped every opportunity we had.”
Caroline Schwab and Connealy combined on saves to keep the Storm (17-4) off the board in the 25th minute. Schwab cleared an Elkhorn South attempt off the line, and Connealy saved a shot off the rebound.
“We just know it took a moment,” Connealy said. “There are some plays where we were a little stuttered, but we knew if we could get the ball settled, calm, play our game and not worry so much about their forwards and their play, but know how we can perform and how we’ve been training all season.”
Leena Brunt put the Crusaders (17-3) ahead in the 28th minute. Elkhorn South could not clear the ball out of its end and Skylar Farley played a ball to Brunt who flicked a header past Storm goalkeeper Kenzie Thompson.
“We were having a really hard time scoring (over the past three weeks), but then heading has been a major focus and body movements with the heading, and she did it just textbook,” DeGeorge said.
Cooper Dally doubled Marian’s lead to 2-0 in the 49th minute with a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that deflected off an Elkhorn South defender into the goal.
The Crusaders won their final nine matches of the season, outsourcing opponents 35-1. DeGeorge credited a sports psychologist with helping the team reach its potential and win the title.
“That has really catapulted us to the next level,” she said. “The girls really bought into that, and their mental mindset was right. In the last three weeks, they have gone above and beyond even what I thought was possible.
DeGeorge shared a special moment with her daughter Talia when the pair shared a hug after the sophomore midfielder received her championship medal.
“I just told her I was so proud of her and I know she’s going to be getting better and better and better,” she said.
Marian adds its 15th title to the trophy case 🏆
Crusaders’ coach Teresa DeGeorge talks after No. 3 Omaha Marian claims the Class A title with a 2-0 win over No. 5 Elkhorn South. #nebpreps pic.twitter.com/eF3YI1k9WQ
— Hurrdat Sports (@HurrdatSports) May 20, 2026
