Husker soccer player Stoneburner knows from experience the value of Special Olympic sports

Jul. 26--OMAHA -- Katie Stoneburner knows firsthand how much the opportunity to compete in sports means to Special Olympic athletes.

The talented soccer player from Millard West has a brother, Will, who is a Special Olympic athlete, also at Millard West.

"To Will (Special Olympics sports) means everything because he's the biggest sports nut you'll meet," said Katie Stoneburner of her 16-year old brother. "He loves basketball so much, and he loves soccer because me and my sister play."

So Stoneburner has a lot of appreciation for what it means to be chosen to play in the Nebraska High School Soccer Senior Showcase. The beneficiary of the event is Special Olympics Nebraska, and the two nights of games raised at least $10,000. The all-star matches for high school seniors have replaced what was previously the Shrine Soccer matches.

Stoneburner was chosen for Saturday's Class A girls game but wasn't able to play because she's been injured. She's already moved to Lincoln to join the Nebraska soccer team this fall, but still attended the match and sat on the bench with her teammates.

Stoneburner has played unified sports -- when high school students and Special Olympic athletes from the same school play on teams together -- at Millard West.

"My brother, Will, has Down syndrome so I've been helping out with Special Olympics since I was 10 years old," Stoneburner said. "So I've been around a lot of Special Olympic events, and then the last two years through my high school, Millard West, I've done unified basketball and unified soccer. So we've done regional events and state events. I've even coached one of his soccer teams, too. It's really fun. I really enjoy working with them."

Last year at these all-star soccer matches, Stoneburner and her brother each played in an exhibition match for Special Olympic athletes.

This spring, Stoneburner was disappointed that the annual unified sports basketball game between Millard West and Millard South was canceled because of COVID-19. But she's grateful she got to experience playing sports with her brother.

"To be able to play with him, especially along with his teammates, was awesome because they love sports so much and they don't take it for granted, like some people do," Stoneburner said.

Stoneburner scored 19 goals last high school season in helping to lead Millard West to a state championship. She's been in Lincoln training with the Huskers since June.

In Saturday's Class A girls match, the away team won the match 3-2 in a shootout. Sophie Limongi from Elkhorn South was named the match MVP. She scored the first goal of the match just 55 seconds into the first half, had the assist on her team's other goal and also made her kick in the shootout en route to helping her team win the three-round shootout, 3-2.

The other goals in regulation were scored by Sofia Gomez (Columbus), Abby Hellman (Omaha Westside) and Isabella Shrader (Omaha Central).

In the boys match, the away team broke a 1-1 tie and scored two goals in the final four minutes to win 3-1. Jake Cover (Gretna) scored the game-winning goal with 3:55 remaining. It was his second goal of the match, and he was named MVP. Abdi Adam (Omaha South) added another goal for the final margin.

Tim Goldsmith from Lincoln Southeast and Randy Izaguirre from Lincoln High each played on the winning team.

Nick McElroy from Lincoln Pius X scored the only goal for the losing squad. For that team, goalkeeper Karson Jeffrey from Lincoln East made three saves during one flurry of shots late in the first half.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSSportsWagner.

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