Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – The addition of Levi Quinlan to the Regina soccer team this spring has come with a lengthy list of benefits for the Regals.

Quinlan has brought an element of speed and explosiveness to the Regina attack.

The senior multi-sport standout has added some toughness for the third-ranked Regals which are making their 13^th consecutive state tournament appearance this week.

Perhaps most importantly Quinlan has provided an excellent attitude for Regina which faces Burlington Notre Dame in the Class 1A state semifinals on Thursday.

“He’s been a great addition, he’s a great kid,” Regina coach Rick Larew said. “He’s really brought a lot to our team.”

In his debut soccer season Quinlan has quickly proved to be a critical piece of Regina’s success.

Quinlan ranks third on the team with eight goals and has added three assists this season helping Regina return to the 1A semifinals for a fifth consecutive season.

“He is an athlete and he’s a competitor and he came in and all he wants to do is be part of the team,” Larew said. “He’s not asking to be a hero. He’s not asking for any special privileges. He just comes and works hard.”

Quinlan demonstrated what he brings to the Regina lineup in his state tournament debut on Tuesday.

The senior scored the first state tournament goal of his career in the first half of a 3-0 win over Greene County in the 1A quarterfinals on Tuesday.

“Early goals take away the nerves,” Quinlan said. “Once you score one you are a lot less nervous.”

The first state tournament goal for Quinlan came as a result of perseverance.

Quinlan had a shot careen off the right post and bounce away just minutes before putting away a goal in the 33^rd minute that gave Regina a 2-0 halftime lead.

“I had a couple of shots before that so I knew I was getting shots on goal and I knew I was going to have another opportunity,” Quinlan said. “I just had to take advantage of that.”

Even as a first-year player Quinlan has provided leadership on a Regina squad loaded with underclassmen and featuring just three seniors.

“We have a really, really young team with a lot of freshmen and sophomores and none of them know what this is like, I didn’t know what this is like, Alec knows what it’s like but he’s about the only one,” Quinlan said. “Now we know.”

In his only season of soccer Quinlan has come a long way from where he was several months ago.

Larew credits the improvement to the attitude and work ethic and Quinlan possess which was evident on Tuesday when the senior followed up his state tournament goal Tuesday afternoon by getting a hit and scoring two runs for the Regina baseball team in a doubleheader sweep of Tipton on Tuesday evening.

“He doesn’t make excuses when he makes mistakes and it’s taken a while for him,” Larew said. “At the beginning of the year he couldn’t make that cut back, he could beat everybody on the field but he couldn’t make that cut back and he’s very coachable. He’s just a great kid.”

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.