The Omaha Westside boys soccer team put together another strong season in 2026, finishing 12-6 and making a return trip to the Class A state semifinals after winning the state championship the year before. Led by one of the state’s top offensive players, Miles Oksman, and a veteran core, the Warriors spent the season battling through one of Nebraska’s toughest schedules while remaining among the top-ranked teams in Class A.
Westside showed its offensive firepower throughout the season, scoring 41 goals while earning key wins over teams such as Millard West, Norfolk, Bryan, Grand Island, and Bellevue East. The Warriors were especially dominant late in the regular season, scoring seven goals against Bellevue East and entering the postseason with momentum.
Oksman led the Warriors attack all season with 13 goals and six assists, finishing with a team-high 32 points while averaging nearly a goal per game. Everest Scherlizin added 10 goals, giving Westside one of the most dangerous offenses in the state. In goals, senior Lucas Noll anchored the defense with a 1.29 goals-against average and averaged four saves per match.
The Warriors’ season ultimately ended in one of the most memorable matches of the state tournament, a dramatic two-day semifinal battle against Omaha South. The matchup, a rematch of the 2025 state championship, began Friday night at Morrison Stadium but was interrupted multiple times because of lightning and severe weather. After long delays, officials suspended the match with just over 34 minutes remaining and moved the conclusion to Saturday afternoon at Caniglia Field.
Before the delay, Westside came out firing offensively. Armani Dircio scored in the 28th minute to give the Warriors the lead, and only 16 seconds later Oksman added another goal to put Westside ahead 2-0. South answered before halftime, cutting the deficit to 2-1 before play was suspended for the night.
When the game resumed Saturday, Omaha South quickly scored twice to take its first lead of the match, but Westside continued to respond under pressure. Oksman delivered again in the 74th minute with the equalizer that sent the match into overtime.
The chaos continued during the extra periods. After South converted a penalty kick early in the first overtime, Oksman answered once more with another equalizer, capping off a huge performance in one of the biggest matches of the season. Neither side scored again in the second overtime, sending the semifinal to penalty kicks.
The shootout matched the intensity of the rest of the game. Both teams converted their first seven attempts before Westside missed off the crossbar in the eighth round. Noll responded with a save to keep the Warriors alive, and both goalkeepers continued trading stops as the shootout stretched to a rare 10th round. Omaha South finally converted the deciding penalty to escape with a 5-4 victory and advance to the state championship.
Despite the heartbreaking ending, Westside once again proved itself as one of Nebraska’s premier soccer programs. After following up a state title with another semifinal appearance, the Warriors finished the season ranked among the top teams in the state behind standout performances from Oksman, Noll, and a battle-tested senior group.
