With a 2-0 victory over Benson in the season finale, Creighton Prep soccer is gearing up for postseason play. Their 14-1 record has them at the top of Class A and hosting the A1 district as they attempt to make the state tournament.
The game was slow-paced and the Junior Jays played methodically. The defense was an anchor, only allowing one shot throughout the evening. On the offensive end, the Junior Jays struggled to score on their ample opportunities. Benson Goalie Cristobal Delgado-Hernandez recorded a career-high 15 saves on the Junior Jays’ 17 shots on goal.
Despite Delgado-Hernandez’s performance, the Junior Jays were able to break through. Drew Monzu opened the scoring 20 minutes into the game off a pass from Martin Avalos-Magana. In the second half, Evan Kirchofer doubled the lead with a rare Olimpico goal, scoring directly off a corner kick without any other player touching the ball.
The Junior Jays have to feel good about going into postseason play. Their 15-1 record has them at the top of the NSAA points standings, and they’ve been ranked #1 by Nebpreps every week this season.
On the defensive side, the Junior Jays’ dominance matches last year’s. The return of starting goalie Alec Sibbernsen and captain center back Brody Brakke have the defense allowing just 0.6 goals per game, the same mark as last season. They’ve stayed rock solid all season, racking up eight shutouts and allowing multiple goals thrice.
On the offensive end is where the Junior Jays have somehow improved from last season. They’ve increased their goals per game from 3.2 to 3.9. This is largely due to the rise of Jordan Igwenma, who leads Class-A with 22 goals and is tied for third with 11 assists. Igwenma’s 22 goals are the most by a Junior Jay since MaxPreps began tracking in 2010. Igwenma’s offensive ability has sent the Junior Jays’ offense to new levels.
Even outside pure goals and assists, the Junior Jays seem ready for a deep tournament run. The Junior Jays lead Class-A with eight wins over ranked opponents, proving they can take down the top competition. After a busy start to the season, the Junior Jays have only played twice in the past two weeks, giving them lots of rest before the postseason.
In district play, the Junior Jays will open in the district semifinals with the winner of Omaha Burke (3-12) and Lincoln North Star (1-11). The semifinal winner will play the winner of Lincoln East (7-7) and Omaha Bryan (8-6) in the district final. The Junior Jays defeated Lincoln East 2-0 and Omaha Bryan 4-0 in the regular season.
Overall, the Junior Jays are in a prime position to compete for another straight state title. Elite scoring and defending, dominance over top competition, and rest before the postseason have the Junior Jays eager to become the first team in Class-A boy’s history to win three consecutive state championships.
My predictions:
Omaha Burke 3 – Lincoln North Star 1
Creighton Prep 5 – Omaha Burke 0
Lincoln East 2 – Omaha Bryan 1
Creighton Prep 3 – Lincoln East 0
