Published Tuesday

May 28, 2002

Captains led state title marches in soccer

BY STU POSPISIL

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Amy Price and David Olson, as the dominant players for their state-championship soccer teams, are the honorary captains of The World-Herald's 15th annual All-Nebraska teams.

Price, a goalkeeper, saved Omaha Marian's state title streak. It was her play in the Crusaders' final four matches of the season that allowed them to take home a fifth consecutive championship.

The All-Nebraska boys team: Back row from left, Steven Graner, Burke; Mike Hoover, Westside; Greg Eynon, Millard West; Matt Wieland, Prep; Joel Bergt, Lincoln East; Brandon Newland, Lincoln East. Front row, Ryan Samuelson, Burke; Nick Bohnenkamp, Millard South; Jered Turner, Blair; Chris Hamburger, Lincoln Southeast; David Olson, Lincoln East.

Olson never was healthy as the leading scorer on Lincoln East's first championship team in six years. He played through a persistent groin injury.

They head the All-Nebraska teams chosen through nominations of coaches throughout the state and observations of the World-Herald staff.

Price is one of seven repeat selections to the All-Nebraska girls team. The other repeaters are Ashley Carter of Marian, Haley Fries and Laurel Karnes of Omaha Westside, Lindsey Sand and Erin (Vern) Fitzgerald of Lincoln East and Jen Simeck of Lincoln Southeast.

Also on the girls first team are Carrie Sharp of Omaha Burke, Kari Krumland of Columbus, Meghan Pile of Class B champion Columbus Scotus and Emily Pennington of Millard South.

Carter, Fries and Krumland are the only juniors. Fries is a three-time selection.

Olson is one of three players chosen from Lincoln East. The others are defender Brandon Newland and junior goalkeeper Joel Bergt.

Olson and Chris Hamburger of Lincoln Southeast are two-time selections. Also honored on the first team are Ryan Samuelson and Steven Graner of Omaha Burke, Mike Hoover of Omaha Westside, Jered Turner of Class B Blair, Matt Wieland of Omaha Creighton Prep, Greg Eynon of Millard West and Nick Bohnenkamp of Millard South.

Bergt, Bohnenkamp and Graner are juniors.

Marian Coach Ed Dudley said Price, a University of Nebraska at Omaha recruit, couldn't play her position the way she did last year, when Marian's defense didn't allow a goal until the championship match at state.

"She probably is the premier player in the state, but it didn't look like it midway through this year," Dudley said. "She was just used to last year's team, where she mainly was a field player.

"We got better once she got the mentality of 'I'm just going to protect this goal."'

Olson played midfield for the Spartans, but he could be used as a third striker when more offense was needed. That added to the toll on his body, East Coach Jeff Hoham said.

"He never was 100 percent, yet never complained and played 80 to 90 percent of every match and never asked to come out," said Hoham, whose team won state in his first year as head coach.

"David went out from the start of the year and said he'll help take this team as far as it could go. He was the consummate team player."

NAIA power Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Mo., is attempting to recruit Olson, whom Hoham said has NCAA Division I ability.

Newland was one of the state's top marking backs, Hoham said, as the senior shut out top scorers such as Hamburger, Samuelson and second-team All-Nebraska selections Adam Schleich of Omaha Skutt and Marc Brunt of Millard South.

Bergt rates as one of the state's most athletic goalkeepers and should attract Division I recruiting interest in another year.

Samuelson, an Oregon State recruit, was Class A's scoring leader and Turner was the leader for Class B. Samuelson's six goals in one match, in districts against Omaha Bryan, are a Class A record.

Carter was Class A's girls scoring leader as her offensive skills already have led to her acceptance of a Nebraska scholarship offer. Karnes, bound for Yale, had a Class A-high 16 assists while scoring 14 times.

Krumland's 20 goals, the most in Class A, helped Columbus reach the state semifinals for the first time in a decade.