SBLive Nebraska all-state football teams: Omaha Westside's Caleb Benning player of the year

SBLive Nebraska Coach of the Year 

Kam Lenhart, Bennington 

Lenhart successfully navigated the Badgers to a third straight Class B state championship and a third straight unbeaten season. A third title in a row is unprecedented in Class B and it came in dominant fashion, shutting out traditional powerhouse Skutt Catholic. While the achievement is historic, Lenhart earns the nod because of how he had to reshape his team following the graduation of a large senior class. Bennington installed a new offensive scheme, new quarterback, new running back and several new faces on the offensive line. While Lenhart and his staff worked to get that side of the ball in order, the Badgers took on a defensive mindset and allowed just 94 points all season and pitched four shutouts. 

SBLive Nebraska Player of the Year

Caleb Benning, Omaha Westside

Benning closes his career as a back-to-back state champ who was at his best in the biggest moments. The Westside senior caught seven passes in a win over then No. 2-rated Millard South, had six more and a touchdown in the Class A state title game, picked off a pass against Bellevue West, had another in the championship win and returned a kickoff 66 yards in the state semifinals. That trend started last year when he missed most of the season but came back for the title win over Gretna that included 13 receptions, two interceptions and four passes broken up.

SBLive Nebraska Offensive Player of the Year

Carter Nelson, Ainsworth

What is Nelson exactly? Well, at the next level, he’ll be a tight end for coach Matt Rhule and the Huskers. At Ainsworth, he became the rare combination who passed for, rushed for and caught 500 yards of offense. Yes, it was against eight-man opponents, but Nelson is a superstar at every level of football regardless of the number of players on the field. He wraps up his career with 1,553 passing yards, 1,979 rushing yards, 2,346 receiving yards and 103 total touchdowns.

SBLive Nebraska Defensive Player of the Year

Caleb Benning, Omaha Westside

Benning locked it down in the deep middle of the Warrior defense, recording 45 tackles and six interceptions. Once had a stretch of five straight games with a tackle-for-loss, had 10 stops in a win over Millard North and snagged half of his interceptions in the playoffs. Deep balls were pretty much out of the gameplan for opponents staring down Benning across the line of scrimmage.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB – Anthony Rezac, 6-4, 195, Senior, Westside

There might not be more of a winner anywhere in the state. He has a lot of help all around him, but oftentimes, distributing the ball correctly when there are so many options can be the toughest situation of all. Completed back-to-back 2,000-yard passing seasons and nearly had another 1,000-yard rushing season as well. Completed 70% of his passes and closes with 104 career touchdowns.

RB – Conor Booth, 6-1, 215, Junior, Bishop Neumann

Booth led the state with over 2,100 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns. He went over 100 yards in every game he played and averaged over 10 yards per carry for the second season in a row.

RB – Payton Prestito, 5-11, 185, Senior, Papillion-La Vista

Prestito was the focus of the Papio offense and dealt with those expectations plus defensive coaches designing a plan just for him every week. It didn’t matter, Prestito averaged over seven yards per carry and 148 total yards with 20 touchdowns.

WR – Amarion Jackson, 6-1, 175, Sophomore, Millard South

Jackson wasn’t exactly new to varsity football. He played in eight games and caught 31 passes a year ago as a freshman. This year as part of the offensive focus rather than a pleasant surprise, Jackson rose to the occasion with 57 catches, 1086 yards and 12 touchdowns.

WR – Isaiah McMorris, 6-0, 170, Senior, Bellevue West

Missed a handful of games early but was still effective enough to 44 passes for 576 yards and score eight touchdowns. Heads to Lincoln as a Husker recruit with 134 career catches, 1,873 yards and 22 scores.

WR – Jackson Williams, 6-0, 170, Senior, Millard West

Was dynamic as a pass catcher and a returner. Williams hauled in 41 catches for 981 yards and nine touchdowns while also taking two punts and two kickoffs to the house. Joining the football program at North Dakota State.

TE – Carter Nelson, 6-4, 220, Senior, Ainsworth

Although he was Mr. Everything for the Bulldogs, he’ll play tight end at the next level. Nebraska gets a player who caught 128 passes for 2,346 yards and 43 touchdowns in 36 career-high school games.

OL – Caleb Pyfrom, 6-5, 300, Senior, Omaha Central

One of the most highly recruited linemen in the state, Pyfrom anchored the edge of the offensive line at tackle and amassed 26 pancake blocks. His work up front was a major factor in Central creating a chance at a winning season.

OL – Kalvin Janssen, 6-4, 285, Junior, Gretna

This fall was Janssen’s second starting in the line for the Dragons. His size earned him a shot at playing time as a sophomore; his skill and finishing power kept him there. Gretna averaged 351 yards this year and 400 last year with Janssen leading up front.

OL – Ben Gustafson, 6-8, 280, Senior, Elkhorn South

Gustafson was once set on the hardwood but found untapped potential on the gridiron and hasn’t looked back. His training as a post has translated quite well to the offensive line where he helped produce a 100-yard rusher in all 13 games.

OL – Broc Regner, 6-5, 285, Senior, Westside

Protected the blind side for Warrior quarterback Anthony Rezac and was part of a Westside front five that was historically good at over 430 yards per game and a record 643 total points.

OL – Max Gray, 6-4, 260, Senior, Millard South

An anchor up front for the Patriots the past two years. His pass protection provided time and throwing lanes for 2,800 passing yards. His run blocking opened holes for a rushing attack that had over 2,100 rush yards and five different backs that each had more than 30 carries.

K – Will Bauerly, 6-1, 185, Senior, Westside

Bauerly didn’t have any heroic moments like last year’s guy, but that’s not what the Warriors needed from their kicker in 2023. Simply put, he was solid and consistent. Bauerly went 76 for 78 on extra points and 8 for 9 on field goals with a long of 39.

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL – Tyson Terry, 6-3, 275, Junior, Omaha North

Terry has been wreaking havoc ever since he was old enough to put on cleats. That didn’t change once he reached varsity age. The Husker commit is a three-year starter who had 72 tackles as a junior and has 212 total with 12.5 career sacks.

DL – JR Lecuona, 6-3, 240, Senior, Millard South

There might not have been a harder defensive lineman to block in all of Nebraska. First, he had an impressive 88 tackles following 77 as a junior. But most impressively, 29 of his 2023 tackles were in the backfield. He heads to South Dakota State with 44 total TFLs and 14 sacks.

DL – Ashton Murphy, 6-5, 245, Senior, Elkhorn South

His weight is slightly below the average for a Division-I defensive lineman, but he’ll undoubtedly put that on when he gets to Lincoln and becomes a regular part of Husker strength and conditioning. In the meantime, his lean figure has allowed him to play with an athletic style that led to 65 tackles, six for loss and seven apiece in the semifinals and finals.

DL – Eric Ingwerson, 6-7, 235, Senior, Papillion-La Vista

Ingwerson will play tight end for Nebraska. For the Monarchs, he was good everywhere but especially on the defensive line. He finished with 52 tackles, 8.5 for loss, five sacks and had 11 stops in a win over Omaha Central.

LB – Christian Jones, 6-4, 215, Junior, Westside

Could be the most sought-after recruit in the state next season. Jones, like a few others on this list, doubles as a tight end and can dominate a game on both sides. This fall, he made 55 tackles, nine for loss, returned an interception for 30 yards and broke up four other passes.

LB – Beau Ryan, 5-11,200, Senior, Westside

Two linebackers from the same team making First Team All-State give you an idea of why Westside was stout on defense. Ryan’s 86 tackles were the most on a defense that allowed just 46 total points. He also had 18 for loss.

LB – Kyler Lauridsen, 5-11, 165, Junior, Bennington

Back-to-back 100-tackle seasons. Lauridsen went from 103 as a sophomore to 108 as a junior and improved his TFL total from 14 to 19. Picked off three passes and broke up two more. Also a back-to-back state wrestling champion.

LB – Dash Bauman, 6-2, 185, Senior, Lincoln East

Closes his East football career with 249 tackles, 73 of which he had this season. Bauman is headed to Wyoming as a player who was a dude on both sides of the ball and who has the speed of a 110-meter hurdle school record holder.

DB – Caleb Benning, 6-0, 190, Senior, Westside

Six interceptions, 43 tackles and 19 TFLs plus contributions on offense and in special teams make Benning the best in the state. He also broke up 19 other passes.

DB – Zac McLeay, 6-1, 180, Senior, Creighton Prep

McLeay led the state in tackles with a mind-boggling total of 172. He had 12 tackles in every game but one and went over 20 in five games.

DB – Donovan Jones, 6-0, 190, Senior, Omaha North

Jones will be joining Benning as a Husker recruit who may make it an all-Omaha secondary someday at Memorial Stadium. He brings four interceptions and three pass breakups to go with 57 tackles this past season.

DB – Teddy Rezaac, 6-4, 195, Senior, Westside

Rezac looks like the next Omaha kid set to make a big impact at Notre Dame. The Irish recruit heads to South Bend with more tackles, interceptions and passes defensed than Xavier Watts, a recent All-American honoree, had in his senior season at Burke.

P – Kael Forney, 6-1, 180, Senior, Columbus

Columbus remade its punting formation when Forney revealed his ability to boom the ball deep. Led all punters in Nebraska with a 44.4 average on 37 punts.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB – Kyle Cox, 5-10, 165, Junior, Sandhills/Thedford

Yeah, the guy plays in D-2, and most probably didn’t know about him until he had a huge championship performance. But Cox was doing it before November. The Knights signal caller rushed for 2,900 yards and was 30 yards short of 1,000 passing. Cox accounted for 66 total touchdowns.

RB – Jahmez Ross, 5-10, 185, Senior, Westside

With all the talent on the Westside roster, might have been the biggest game changer who was the most overlooked. That changed this fall when Ross ran for over 1,500 yards, averaged over eight yards per carry and had 125 with two scores in the state championship.

RB – Sebastian Boyle, 5-11, 185, Senior, Scottsbluff

Boyle closed a varsity career with over 5,000 rushing yards and 68 rushing touchdowns. As a senior, he averaged six yards per carry and had eight games with more than 100 yards.

RB – Parker Borer, 5-10, 180, Senior, Boone Central

Helped deliver a championship to Albion by rushing for over 2,000 yards and 23 touchdowns. Had the only points of the C-1 title game when he found the end zone on runs of 11 and 61.

WR – Luke Orr, 5-10, 160, Senior, Roncalli Catholic

Announced his potential for a big season when he caught 10 passes for 166 and two touchdowns in the season opener. Went on to have one of the best receiving years in Nebraska, hauling in 50 receptions for 927 yards and 13 scores.

WR – Trenton Ernst, 5-9, Sophomore, Lincoln Lutheran

Among the leaders in Nebraska with 60 catches. He had at least four in every game and was at his best with 11 for 212 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Centennial. Totaled 752 yards and six scores.

WR – Keithen Krings, 5-11, 140, Junior, Hastings

Averaged over 11 yards per catch and had 59 of those for 657 yards and four touchdowns. Krings had back-to-back 100-yard games when he had nine receptions apiece for 117 yards then 114 in wins over Gering and Seward.

TE - Reiman Zebert, 6-6, 187, Senior, Platteview

Zebert’s ability as a blocker made him a huge threat when he released from the line and went out on a route. He averaged over 24 yards per catch on 28 receptions for 677 yards and seven touchdowns.

OL – DeAndre Harper, 6-6, 290, Senior, Omaha North

One of the biggest dudes in Nebraska high school football. Harper has cleared the way for 1,000-yard rushers in each of the past two seasons and also provided protection for back-to-back 1,000-yard passers.

OL – Dallas Hamilton, 6-2, 270, Senior, Papillion-La Vista

One of the Monarchs captains, Hamilton has received an invite to the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl. Hamilton squats nearly 600 pounds, benches over 300 and has a wingspan of 75 inches. He gets off the ball quickly, finishes blocks and has made running lanes for a teammate on this list, Payton Prestito.

OL – Nolan Fennessy, 6-4, 240, Senior, Norfolk Catholic

Fennessy was an all-state selection last year by most publications in Nebraska then came back and did it again this year. Norfolk Catholic graduated a ton of seniors but won another title thanks in large part to his leadership up front.

OL – Trent Patzel, 6-7, 280, Senior, Boone Central

Patzel is one of the most athletic big guys out there. His footwork and quickness get him out on the edge quickly and put him on top of defenders quicker than expected. His excellent footwork began as a dancer when he was a boy.

OL – Josh Tollefsen, 6-3, 275, Senior, Lincoln Southwest

Tollefsen was given a chance to play early because of his size. He took that opportunity and ran with it. Centers aren’t typically asked to be great run blockers but he excelled in every aspect of protection and helped produce an offense that produced 376 yards per game.

K – Nathan Thompson, 6-1, 200, Senior, Millard South

Was as consistent as they come with 58 makes on 59 extra points and 8 of 10 on field goals including half of those field goal makes in the playoffs.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL – Jake Scanlon, 6-0, 235, Junior, Wahoo

Scanlon was one of the top defensive linemen for any class in the state with 71 tackles and eight for loss. But as much as the numbers say, once you see him on tape or in person, it’s even more impressive. Scanlon is relentless in fighting to get to the ball carrier and inflicting punishment on anyone who lines up across from him.

DL – JT Brands, 6-2, 265, Senior, Oakland-Craig

Brands has played every game since his freshman season and has had an impact every time out. His best year in terms of stats was a sophomore with 88 tackles, 12 TFLs and four sacks, but he was good again this past fall. Brands added 71 more tackles to his career and finishes with 256 total stops and 32 behind the line.

DL – Pierre Allen Jr., 6-2, 200, Junior, Lincoln Southeast

Allen had 10 or more tackles in two games and totaled 70 on the season with three sacks. Already has over 150 tackles in his career with one more season to go.

DL – RJ Eckhardt, 6-1, 225, Senior, Westside

Somewhat undersized up front compared to the guys across the line. But what he lacks in weight, Eckhardt makes up for in speed and quickness. He had 60 tackles, seven sacks and had two games with three sacks apiece.

LB – Brant Gulizia, 6-0, 180, Junior, Auburn

Was already on pace for a big career when he started as a freshman and recorded 45 tackles, but the last two seasons have been over and above even that great of a start. This past fall he had 121 tackles, 14 for loss, three sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery.

LB – Blake Hawkins, 6-3, 230, Senior, Gretna

Elevated to a starter in 2023 and responded with 52 tackles and 15 for loss. He also sacked the quarterback five times and closed the season with 14 tackles in a playoff game against Omaha North.

LB – Kevon Newsome, 6-1, 200, Senior, Omaha Central

Led the Eagles in tackles with 99 total and had five games with more than 10 and three with 20 or more.

LB – Justyce Hostetler, 5-11, 205, Senior, Grand Island

Was just eight tackles short of putting together another season with 100 stops. Finished with 92 total, 18 for loss, nine sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

LB – Dylan Kuhl, 5-11, 195, Junior, Millard South

Was all over the field, sideline-to-sideline for a Millard South defense that allowed just over 12 points per game. Kuhl made 76 tackles, 17 behind the line, sacked the quarterback five times, picked off six passes and recovered four fumbles.

DB – Donald DeFrand Jr., 6-1, 170, Senior, Southeast

Only had 22 tackles and had just 48 for his career, but that’s a reflection of his abilities as a cover corner. DeFrand picked off two passes this fall and broke up two others.

DB – Gunnar Lym, 6-1, 190, Senior, Bennington

Bennington's free safety totaled 55 stops and intercepted three passes. Was a big reason why the Bennington defense allowed less than 100 total points, had 10 games with under 10 points and forced 26 turnovers.

DB – Aidan Kidder, 6-0, 180, Senior, Holdrege

Probably unknown to most of the state but can’t be ignored because of his 118 tackles. Kidder had double-digit tackles in six of nine games.

DB – Carson Murphy, 6-0, 175, Senior, Kearney Catholic

Murphy has been a menace to opposing offenses each of the past three years. He began to make a name for himself with five interceptions as a sophomore and had three more this fall to go with 90 tackles. Totaled 11 picks in three seasons.

P – Travon Shaw, 6-1, Senior, Auburn

Averaged 40 yards per kick on 39 punts with 14 inside the 20. In his career, Shaw punted it away 91 times for an average of 38.9 yards and 26 inside the 20.