Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Iowa City area has a reputation of producing some of the top soccer teams and best individual talent in the state.

This season was no exception.

Three teams in the Your Prep Sports area advanced to the state tournament with Regina claiming its second consecutive Class 1A state title.

With that much talent in the area selecting the second annual Your Prep Sports boys soccer team was a challenging task.

The Your Prep Sports boys soccer team honors 12 of the top players in the area for their efforts this season and features Division 1 recruits, state champions as well as all-state and all-conference honorees.

The 12-member squad features players from five different teams, four of which appeared in the top eight in the final rankings released by the Iowa Soccer Coaches Association.

Gada Ambo (Captain)

West High, Junior

The MVC Mississippi Division player of the year led West High with 19 goals and seven assists in his first season back after spending last season in Kansas City.

Ambo ranked seventh in Class 3A with 18 goals and had a goal and an assist in three state tournament matches while helping West High to a fourth-place finish.

Jackson Meyer (Captain)

City High, Senior

A Drake signee, Meyer continued the City High legacy of strong center back play ranking among the best in the state at the position.

City High posted shutouts in eight of its final 10 matches, allowing two total goals during that stretch after Meyer returned from an injury.

The senior added two goals on his way to earning MVC first-team all-Valley Division honors.

Nick Pechous

Regina, Senior (Captain)

Pechous capped a brilliant career by being named the captain of the 1A state tournament team for the second straight year after leading Regina to back-to-back state titles.

A four-year starter, Pechous led Regina with 16 goals and eight assists as a senior and had four goals in six state tournament matches the past two seasons.

Adam Englebrecht

City High, Sophomore  

Part of a City High back line that ranked among the best in the state Englebrecht established himself as a premier player during a breakthrough sophomore season.

A first-team MVC all-division pick, Englebrecht scored two goals and added three assists while helping City High hold opponents to 13 goals. 

Alec Wick

Regina, Freshman

Freshman capped an impressive debut season with a stellar state tournament, scoring four of the seven goals for Regina during its state title run.

Wick finished the season with 15 goals and three assists in his first varsity season and was named to the Class 1A all-tournament team.

Jorel Justus

Solon, Junior

After a strong sophomore season Justus broke through in a big way as a junior ranking fifth in Class 1A with 23 goals.

Justus also had a team-high 12 assists to help Solon to a 15-5 record and number three ranking in the final 1A rankings.

Ayi Ajavon

Liberty High, Sophomore  

Ajavon was a standout in the first season of Liberty High soccer scoring a team-high 19 goals.

The sophomore also led the Lightning in assists with 13 while helping Liberty to a 10-7 record and a spot in the Substate semifinals in its debut varsity season.

John Clark

City High, Senior

Became the top scoring option for a City High squad that went 16-5 and returned to the state tournament for the seventh consecutive season.

Clark ranked seventh in Class 3A with 18 goals and added two assists while earning first team MVC all-Valley Division honors.

Micah Frisbie

West High, Sophomore  

Frisbie turned into a dangerous scoring threat as a sophomore ranking second on the team with 10 goals while adding an assist.

The sophomore forward earned first-team MVC all-division honors and had a penchant for the dramatic scoring overtime game-winners in a regular season win at Cedar Rapids Prairie and a state quarterfinal against Ankeny Centennial.

Harry Zielinski

West High, Senior

Was a first-team MVC all-Mississippi Division after anchoring a West High team that returned to the state tournament after losing 14 seniors from its 2017 Class 3A state title team.

Zielinski scored two goals and added three assists while helping West High to an 18-5 record and fourth-place state tournament finish.

Josh Dutchik  

Regina, Sophomore  

Followed up a strong freshman campaign with an even better sophomore season helping Regina post 10 shutouts and hold opponents to 13 goals in 21 matches.

Dutchik was named the 1A all-tournament team goal for the second year in a row and the lone goal scored on the Regina keeper in six state tournament matches the past two seasons came on a penalty kick in the 1A title game this season.

Nick Radcliffe

Solon, Senior

A long-time stalwart in the back line for the Spartans, Radcliffe was a first-team all-WAMAC East Division for the second consecutive season after helping Solon post 10 shutouts.

Radcliffe added four goals and two assists and was important in Solon holding opponents to 17 goals in 20 matches this season.