Though Gretna’s Brett Perkins and Allison Marshall may go about their business differently, there’s one thing the Dragon duo has in common.

Results.

Each was a driving force behind resounding state championship victories earlier this month, and today they’re recognized as captains of The World-Herald’s All-Nebraska teams.

“The level of player coming into the Gretna program, it’s just different,” Dragon girls coach Chace Hutchison said. “And it’s not one or two of them, it’s a lot of them.”

While Hutchison may have been speaking about his team, the statement fits both programs. The combined nine players on first teams are the most ever from one school in a season.

The selections of Perkins and four of his teammates make Gretna the first boys program to put five on the state’s top squad. They join girls teams at Millard North (2006) and Omaha Marian (1999) for the most ever.

And none of the Dragons’ five were very debatable.

Keeper Alec Scharff was a runaway pick. Same for defender Carson Poole. Sophomore forwards Maguire Perkins and Mikey Stukenholtz were the top two vote-getters at their position, respectively.

Then there was Brett Perkins.

The junior midfielder was an easy selection as captain after a breakout campaign that included 14 goals and 14 assists.

“He gives just about anything we can ask for,” Gretna coach Tyler Ortlieb said. “Just by him being so coachable and understanding the game from different points of view opened up so much in the attack for us.“

Perkins was the ultimate chess piece on a team full of talent.

When opposing defenses started manning him up through the midfield, Perkins dropped back into the formation, opening up more space for his younger brother Maguire and Stukenholtz, who combined for 45 goals this season.

“If we’re winning,” Brett said, “that’s all that matters.”

There was plenty of that this season for a Gretna team that finished 20-2 and won the program’s first Class A crown.

But it was one of those two losses that sticks out most for Perkins and Ortlieb.

After a shootout setback to Omaha Creighton Prep in mid-April, a quiet bus ride home ended with a message from Perkins. One loss does not define this team, he told them.

“From there, everything clicked,” Ortlieb said.

They won nine straight to close the season, outscoring opponents 38-8 along the way — including a record-breaking 8-0 victory in the state championship against Omaha Westside. It broke the mark for goal differential in a state final.

Perkins played a major role in that, tallying a pair of goals and an assist in the title match, including a free kick from just outside the box that made it 2-0. Afterward, Gretna players and coaches pointed to that moment — which immediate followed a red card for Westside — as the point they knew it was their night.

And it was no surprise that it came off the left foot of Perkins, Ortlieb said.

Time and time again, he came with big plays in big spots. He tallied points in 21 of Gretna’s 22 matches.

“He performed night in and night out,” Ortlieb said

The same could be said for his captain counterpart.

Marshall was the leading scorer on an unbeaten team that put the cherry on top with a 6-1 win against second-ranked Lincoln Southeast in the state final. Her title-match brace was part of a record-breaking offensive effort that night, and helped lift Gretna to its second straight Class A crown.

The sophomore did it with a blend of athleticism and physicality that Hutchison said isn’t just rare — it’s nearly nonexistent.

“We see it in training and in games, but you can always see how focused and how determined she is,” Hutchison said. “She’s locked in all the time. She has the mentality like, ‘I want to take over.’

“Allison doesn’t know what she’s capable of. She’s a super-hard worker, but she doesn’t yet understand how powerful and how special of a talent she is.”

It’s beast mode meets cheat code. She flashed plenty of both this season, but maybe most noticeably in her two scores in the championship match.

On the first, Marshall shielded a defender from the ball and fired in a tight space. A bit of physicality gave her room to fire on the second.

“We didn’t coach that,” Hutchison said.

Then there is the work ethic that goes along with that talent, something Marshall said she picked from former Dragon Sarah Weber, last year’s All-Nebraska captain.

“I really look up to Sarah,” Marshall said. “Just being around her was a joy. Watching her practice, how hard she works, and how she keeps everyone up. ... That was big for me.”

Hutchison took over as coach this season, but said he was familiar with Marshall’s abilities after watching Gretna play a year ago.

One of the first notes Hutchison wrote down about his new team: “Start 34.”

Marshall came off the bench as a freshman, and began this season as a super sub for returning All-Nebraska pick Savannah DeFini.

But as teams focused their defense on DeFini, it became apparent that the counter was starting matches next to Hutchison on the sideline.

“I don’t know what that says about me as a coach,” he said with a laugh.

So Marshall was inserted into the starting lineup and the Gretna staff made a concerted effort to get her more minutes.

With DeFini having more room to roam on the wing and Marshall flashing her skills up front, the Dragons became a matchup nightmare. They outscored opponents 118-6 on the season.

While Marshall’s numbers weren’t gaudy — she finished with a team-high 15 goals — the sophomore made her moments matter.

She assisted on the opening score of the state tournament in a 2-1 win over Elkhorn South, then had a goal in the semifinal against Lincoln Southwest, a 3-0 result for the Dragons.

Then came a brace in the final, with the pressure and brightest lights on her.

“Morrison (Stadium) is an insane place to play,” Marshall said. “Being in those situations is amazing.”

And coaches at the next level — collegiately and nationally — have taken notice.

Marshall recently participated in an identification camp for the U.S. Youth national team, getting feedback from evaluators while training and playing against some of the best in the country. College coaches can begin contacting her June 15.

Hutchison expects the attention will only grow.

“They know who she is, she’s getting those opportunities,” he said. “Sky’s the limit.”

BOYS FIRST TEAM

*Brett Perkins

Gretna • Junior

The junior midfielder was selected as captain after a breakout campaign that included 14 goals and 14 assists.

“He gives just about anything we can ask for. Just by him being so coachable and understanding the game from different points of view opened up so much in the attack for us,“ Gretna boys soccer coach Tyler Ortlieb said. 

He was the ultimate chess piece on a team full of talent during the 2022 season.

Maguire Perkins

Gretna • Sophomore 

The leading scorer for the top team in the state, Perkins found the back of the net in 18 of 22 matches this season.

The sophomore scored in all three state tournament wins, including the first in an 8-0 rout in the final.

He finished with 25 goals — most in Class A — and 10 assists on the season.

Aidan Nachi

Lincoln East • Junior 

Goals came in bunches and big spots for the junior, who finished with 21 — second in Class A.

Nachi scored in all four of East’s postseason matches, including a pair in the state semifinal.

He also had winners in both district tournament victories, one of which came in the final minute to send the Spartans to state.

Mikey Stukenholtz

Gretna • Sophomore

Track speed in the attack, the sophomore gave Gretna another gear.

His 20 goals were second on the team.

He had a brace in six matches this season, including twice at state. His pair in the championship — and an assist for good measure — helped the program to its first Class A title.

Andre Santamaria

Papillion-La Vista South • Senior

A consummate team player, Santamaria gave the Titans the kind of offensive balance coaches dream of.

The senior had a program-record 15 goals and led Class A with 14 assists.

He had at least one of each in seven matches this year, helping lead Papio South back to state.

Sam Schendt

Omaha Skutt • Junior 

A driving force behind a third straight state title for the SkyHawks, Schendt finished with 12 goals and 14 assists.

His second-half penalty kick was the difference in a 2-1 win over Lexington for the Class B title.

In six postseason matches, Schendt accounted for five goals and five assists.

John Burns

Omaha Creighton Prep • Senior

The midfielder's contributions couldn’t be measured in numbers — he finished with a goal and two assists.

Burns was the glue for a team that made state for the 14th consecutive season.

Of his leadership, Prep coach Tom Hoover said, “No one in the long history of Creighton Prep soccer has done it better.”

Cesar Hernandez

Omaha Bryan • Senior

He didn’t just help lead the Bears to new heights, he put them on his shoulders and got them there.

Hernandez scored in each of his team’s final eight matches, including both goals in a comeback win over Papio South for the program's first victory at state.

He had 14 goals and three assists on the year.

Edwin Cisneros

Omaha South • Senior 

A maestro in the middle, Cisneros ends his career with a second consecutive All-Nebraska selection.

His 14 goals and seven assists were team highs for a Packers side coming off back-to-back state titles.

He’ll play at Iowa Western next year.

Carson Poole

Gretna • Senior

The steadying force in a backline that was rarely rattled, he matched physicality with footwork and had an innate ability to win the ball out of the air.

Add it all up and it gave the Dragons the ultimate stopper in the back.

His defense gave up 12 goals in its last 19 matches, with three in state tourney wins.

Alec Scharff

Gretna • Senior

Sure, there was All-Nebraska talent at all three levels ahead of him. But when the champs needed a stop in a big moment, Scharff was up to the task.

The senior had 11 clean sheets, a tally that included a shutout in the state final.

His 0.700 goals against average is amongst the state's best.

GIRLS FIRST TEAM

*Allison Marshall

Gretna • Sophomore

Marshall was the leading scorer on Gretna's unbeaten team that put the cherry on top with a 6-1 win over Lincoln Southeast in the state final.

Her title-match brace was part of a record-breaking offensive effort that night, and helped lift Gretna to its second straight Class A crown.

 “She’s locked in all the time. She has the mentality like, ‘I want to take over,’" Gretna girls soccer coach Chace Hutchison said.

Kayma Carpenter

Lincoln East • Junior 

Class A’s leading scorer followed up a 31-goal sophomore campaign with 23 this season.

The Nebraska commit had four hat tricks — scoring four times in three of those matches — as the Spartans reached the state tournament for the second consecutive season.

Savannah DeFini

Gretna • Senior 

A position change from forward to the wing meant fewer goals — DeFini had 24 last season, including a Class A record-tying eight in one match — but there was no drop off in impact.

The SIU-Edwardsville commit still had 12 goals and 12 assists, leading the back-to-back state champs in points.

Abby Vacek

Lincoln Pius X • Senior

The Nebraska commit scored 17 goals, second in Class A. Included in that were five multigoal efforts.

She also buried the winning try in a shootout victory that put the Thunderbolts in the state tournament for the first time since 2015.

Her final score came in the opening round at state.

Emma Prososki

Omaha Marian • Senior

Goals came in clutch spots for the Husker commit.

Of her 10 — tied for the team lead — two gave the Crusaders all of their offense in a win over Elkhorn South in late April.

She also scored in both wins over Lincoln Pius X, including a second-half goal in Marian’s victory in the opening round at state.

Ava Makovicka

Gretna • Junior

A do-it-all midfielder in a high-powered offense, Makovicka did the little things that helped free up all of those weapons for the Dragons.

She scored 12 goals, but was behind many more.

Her ability to win 50-50 balls and limit opposing midfielders kept Gretna on the attack throughout its unbeaten season.

Hannah Tate

Omaha Marian • Senior 

In her preseason preview, Crusader coach Teresa DeGeorge described Tate with one word: playmaker.

The Denver commit did plenty of that, scoring 10 goals from the midfield.

Her score in the opening round at state helped spark a comeback for Marian, which reached the semifinals for the 10th straight season.

Avi Gonzalez

Omaha Marian • Senior

The defensive dynamo on a squad that gave up more than one goal to only three teams all season.

She was a key cog in a backline that had 13 shutouts on the season, second in Class A, and gave up 0.60 goals per match.

The senior committed to New Mexico last fall.

Sydney Zabloudil

Gretna • Senior

Playing defense for the first time in her career, the senior looked right at home.

She anchored a back line that conceded six goals the entire season, four of which came on free kicks.

Zabloudil and company notched 16 shutouts in 22 matches, three more than any other team in Class A.

Annie Mulder

Lincoln East • Junior 

Officially she’s a defender. But the junior does a little bit of everything for the Spartans.

A field general in the back, she kick-started the attack with a soccer IQ that East coach Emily Matthews called “off the charts.”

Mulder committed to Kansas State three years ago — as an eighth grader.

Samaya Hogg

Lincoln Southeast • Junior

The state’s premier goal-stopper, Hogg was a nearly unanimous pick.

The junior kept 11 clean sheets during the 2022 season, including a pair of wins at the state tournament for the runner-up Knights.

Hogg committed to SIU-Edwardsville in October.

* * *

SECOND TEAM ALL-NEBRASKA SELECTIONS

BOYS

F — Ryland Garrett, Kearney, Sr.

F — Zach McClanathan, Millard South, Jr.

F — Oliver Benson, Bennington, Sr.

M — Bam McPhail, Lincoln East, Sr.

M — Brayden Kramer, Lincoln Southwest, Sr.

M — Jacob Garcia, Omaha Westside, Sr.

M — Morgan Armagost, Lincoln Pius X, Jr.

D — Jacob Hove, Omaha Creighton Prep, Jr.

D — Luke Noameshie, Omaha Westside, So.

D — MacGuire Weaver, Millard South, Sr.

K — Parker Spann, Elkhorn South, Sr.

GIRLS

F — Olivia Heinert, Omaha Marian, Sr.

F — Lauren Schmidt, Papillion-La Vista, Sr.

F — Libbie Brezenski, Columbus Scotus, Jr.

M — Chaley French, Gretna, Sr.

M — Reese Borer, Norris, Jr.

M — Jillian Lane, Lincoln Southwest, Jr.

M — Charley Kort, Lincoln Southwest, So.

D — Lakin Appell, Omaha Skutt, Jr.

D — Delaney Fredericks, Elkhorn South, Sr.

D — McKenna Rathbun, Lincoln Southwest, Sr.

K — Alexa Gobel, Lincoln Southwest, Jr.