Gretna East junior forward Sonora DeFini has been selected as the Nebraska Gatorade player of the year for girls soccer. In addition to performance on the pitch, the selection committee also considers academics and community service. As the award winner DeFini receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner.
This marks the fifth straight year that a player from a Gretna school is the Gatorade player of the year, with DeFini following Sarah Weber (2020 and ’21) and Allison Marshall (2022 and ’23). In May, DeFini led Gretna East to the Class B state championship in the program’s first year. DeFini set a new all-class single-season state record with 55 goals, breaking the previous mark of 54 set in 1998.
She also passed for 11 assists. DeFini scored nine of her team’s 20 goals at the state tournament. “Good players use their physical ability to make plays, but great players -- generational players like Sonora -- use not only their physical ability, but they study the game (and) watch the game,” Omaha Skutt coach John Carlson said in a news release.
“As a result, Sonora sees the game in slow motion, and she’s always in the right place at the right time.” DeFini has volunteered locally as a soccer and basketball coach at various youth camps. She has also donated her time to multiple community service initiatives through the National Honor Society chapter at Gretna East.
DeFini has maintained a 3.78 GPA in the classroom. She has made a verbal commitment to p.
