CLASS A BREAKDOWN

In their fourth straight trip to Memorial Stadium, the Warriors broke through for their second state title in three years in one of the alltime great championship games with a 43-41 win over Gretna on Tristan Alvano’s 45-yard field goal as time ran out.

Alvano has graduated, but much of that team returns this season with eight starters back on offense and nine more on defense. Quarterback Anthony Rezac threw for 2,100 yards and rushed 1,000 more on his way to first-team Super State honors, and twin brother Teddy is a Notre Dame commit

The roster is loaded with Division I talent all over the field, and Westside is 44-5 over the past four seasons. The top spot belongs to the Warriors until someone comes and takes it.

Key games

A18: Bellevue West at Creighton Prep.

A25: Creighton Prep at Omaha Westside; Lincoln Southeast at Elkhorn South.

S1: Lincoln East at Lincoln Southeast; Grand Island at Omaha Westside.

S8: Omaha Westside at Bellevue West.

S15: Bellevue West at Kearney; Lincoln Southeast at Lincoln North Star.

S22: Kearney at North Platte; Lincoln Southeast at Millard North

S29: Gretna at Bellevue West; Lincoln Southwest at Lincoln Southeast.

O6: Grand Island at Elkhorn South.

O13: Omaha Westside at Millard South.

O20: Gretna at Lincoln East; Elkhorn South at Omaha North.

Other teams to watch

Bellevue West (7-4, A state quarterfinals, No. 6 final ranking): Three Nebraska commits on offense in quarterback Daniel Kaelin and receivers Dae’Vonn Hall and Isaiah McMorris give the Thunderbirds as much offensive firepower as anyone in the state. If Bellevue West can stay healthy and settle into a new defensive scheme, it has the talent to challenge for a state title.

Elkhorn South (10-1, A state quarterfinals, No. 4): The Storm’s only loss last season came in the state quarterfinals, and while Elkhorn South loses some high-level talent, there are still enough playmakers and a rock-solid culture in place to keep the Storm among the state’s elite. There are actually two more returning starters on this year’s team than last year’s 10-1 squad. Quarterback Carson Rauner is a Holy Cross commit.

Gretna (12-1, A state runner-up, No. 2): The Dragons lose one of the state’s all-time best in Zane Flores, and the opening of Gretna East will affect depth. Isaiah Weber, a 900-yard rusher last season, and three returning starters on the offensive line, give the Dragons a good base to build from as they move into a new era.

Lincoln Southeast (5-5, A state first round, unranked): The Knights return perhaps the top quarterback in the city in Owen Baxter, and have added some serious athleticism in transfers Donald DeFrand Jr. and Davieian Williams. Four returning starters on the offensive line will help a new starting running back get comfortable. Can the offense become more explosive?

Omaha North (6-4, A state first round, unranked): Two more Husker commits here in senior defensive back Donovan Jones and junior defensive tackle Tyson Terry. The Vikings should be nasty on that side of the ball, and will trot out a quarterback in junior Sebastian Circo who already owns five Power 5 offers: Miami, Ole Miss, Penn State, Syracuse, and Boston College.

Creighton Prep, (8-4, A state semifinals, No. 3): The Junior Jays play perhaps the toughest schedule in Class A. It paid off last season with a trip to the state semifinals, but now coach Tim Johnk and his staff must replace an enormous senior class of 34 players. A good place to start will be 6-foot-6, 225-pound tight end Michael Burt. There’s always talent at Prep, and if the Junior Jays can survive an early-season gauntlet of opponents, they’ll be in position to make another postseason run.

Lincoln East (5-5, A state first round, unranked): The Spartans won four of five games before running into Gretna and Elkhorn South to end last season, and return five all-city players this year. Dash Bauman and Caden Cetak both have Division I offers, and junior quarterback Jeter Worthley became a reliable weapon last season as a sophomore. No national-level recruits like Malachi Coleman on the roster this year, but veteran coach John Gingery likes his squad.

Kearney (7-3, A state first round, No. 9): The Bearcats came into last season with one returning starter, and promptly won their first five games, including two road trips to Lincoln and another to Omaha in the first four weeks of the year. Nine starters return in 2023, including a pair of athletic wide receivers in Zander Reuling and Karter Lee. Kearney must replace quarterback Treyven Beckman, who set seven school records, but head coach Brandon Cool is one of the best in the business.

Players to watch

QB Daniel Kaelin, Bellevue West (6-1 — 290 — Sr.): Elite 11 finalist, Husker commit, and gunslinger for the most high-profile offense in the state. Life is good right now for Daniel Kaelin, and it would get even better if he can lead his Thunderbirds on another deep playoff run.

DL Tyson Terry, Omaha North (6-3 — 275 — Jr.): One of the most impressive athletes in the state, Terry is already committed to Nebraska and will now try to take the next step in a career that already seems to be on the fast track to stardom. Perhaps the best prep wrestler in Nebraska, Terry will command double teams all season.

QB Anthony Rezac, Omaha Westside (6-3 — 195 — Sr.): It was Rezac, not Kaelin, who earned a spot on the Super State first team last season after beating both the Bellevue West QB and Gretna’s Zane Flores on the way to the state title. Rezac threw for 2,239 yards and ran for 1,100 more while accounting for 38 touchdowns.

WR Isaiah McMorris, Bellevue West (6-0 — 170 — Sr.): Kaelin’s favorite target caught 90 passes for 1,297 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2022, setting a Class A record for receptions in a season and earning first-team Super State honors.

OL Caleb Pyfrom, Omaha Central (6-5 — 300 — Sr.): The No. 54 ranked offensive tackle in the nation and an Illinois commit, Pyfrom has been among the best offensive linemen in the state for a couple of years now. There won’t be any secrets as to where Central will run the ball this season.

WR Dae’Vonn Hall, Bellevue West (6-2 — 185 Sr.): Most of the Big Ten and a decent chunk of the SEC made their pitch for Hall’s talents before he chose Nebraska with Kaelin and McMorris. Size, length, and speed — Hall has it all.

ATH Teddy Rezac, Omaha Westside (6-4 200 Sr.): Anthony’s twin brother and a Notre Dame commit, Rezac will play on defense at the college level. For now, he’ll line up at receiver and safety for Westside, hoping to team with his brother for one last title run.

DB Caleb Benning, Omaha Westside (5-11 183 Sr.): The next in-state player to become a Power 5 commit, Benning has yet to commit. But he holds offers from much of the Midwest. Benning battled injuries last season but made his mark in the title game with a pair of first-quarter interceptions.