On what could be the hottest day of the 2026 season, on the first Saturday of the spring no less, two powerhouse programs took to Seacrest Field in Lincoln. The two-time defending Class A champions, Lincoln Southwest, defeated Class B No. 1 Lincoln Pius X 3-1.
The battle of preseason No. 1’s began with Lincoln Southwest taking an early lead in the 3rd minute. Silver Hawk senior Peyton Held dropped a low shot across the field from 22 yards out to put the back-to-back champions up 1-0.
Lincoln Southwest kept the intensity up over the opening ten minutes, before Lincoln Pius X, in its first game of the season, started to settle in.
Just as the momentum started to even out in the 34th minute, Lincoln Southwest’s Hannah Soucie unleashed a long, deep ball to Ansley Throener, who worked past the Lincoln Pius X defense and put the Silver Hawks up two.
Lincoln Pius X, in need of a goal, battled hard over the last few minutes of the first half to earn multiple corner kicks. One of which, in the 39th minute, led to a scramble by Lincoln Southwest to clear the ball, which resulted in a handball violation. Georgia Wright kicked it home and made it a one-goal deficit for the Thunderbolts at halftime.
Going into the second half, Lincoln Southwest was relentless and kept the pressure on Lincoln Pius X. This time, earning a free kick on the edge of the penalty box in the 66th minute. A free kick that Throener put just to the right of the Lincoln Pius X goalie for her second goal of the match.
The 3-1 victory for No.1 Lincoln Southwest moves them to 2-0 on the season, with games against Fremont, Grand Island, and No. 2 Omaha Marian next week. For No. 1 Lincoln Pius X (0-1), their schedule doesn’t get any lighter as they face Omaha Duchesne and No. 5 Norris in the coming days.
Elijah Moser is a contributor for Nebraska Soccer Talk, currently studying Sports Communication and Journalism at the University of Nebraska – Kearney.