Your Prep Sports Area Boys Soccer Players to Watch This Season
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
Soccer season is here.
Action official began earlier this week for boys soccer teams across the state and once again the Your Prep Sports area should feature some of the top teams and individuals in the state this season.
As the season gets underway every team is hoping to secure a spot at the 2023 state tournament that is scheduled for May 30, June 1 and June 3rd at Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines.
With the season getting underway here are 11 players to watch this spring in the Your Prep Sports area.
Michael Nelson
Senior, West High
One of the top goal scorers in the state Nelson is coming off one of the best individual seasons in the storied history of the West High program last spring.
Nelson set a single season record for goals last season ranking third in the state with 36 while helping the Trojans to an 18-3 record and a spot in the Class 3A state tournament.
A second-team Class 3A all-state selection by the IAHSSCA last season Nelson added seven assists a year ago and was a first team Mississippi Valley Conference all-divisional pick.
In two varsity seasons Nelson has produced 50 goals and 12 assists.
Emmitt Hansen
Senior, City High
One of three senior captains for City High this season Hansen will look to help the Little Hawks build on an 11-6 record a year ago that included a 1-0 loss to Johnston in a 3A substate title game.
Hansen was a key piece of the success for City High last season earning second team Mississippi Valley Conference all-Mississippi Division honors a year ago.
Look for Hansen to be a major factor for City High all over the field this spring.
Hayden Saul
Senior, Liberty High
A three-year starter Saul has been one of the foundational pieces for a Liberty High program that is coming off the best season in school history.
Saul has 15 career goals and four career assists after ranking fourth on the team with seven goals last season to help the Lightning to a 15-4 record and a spot in the 3A substate title game.
A second team Mississippi Valley Conference all-divisional pick a year ago Saul will be a key piece for the Lightning this season from his midfield spot.
Gabe Bormann
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
Already a two-year starter Bormann is coming off the best season of his career last spring when he led the Clippers in goals while earning all-WAMAC West Division honors.
Two seasons ago as a sophomore Bormann had two goals and a team-high seven assists.
Last season Bormann emerged as the top scoring threat for the Clippers scoring a team-high seven goals on his way to being named to the WAMAC West Division second team.
Gage Holmes
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
One of seven returning starters for Clear Creek Amana Holmes is one of several players that will look to take on a leadership role as the Clippers seek to improve on a 6-12 mark from last season.
Holmes has already showed the ability to compete at a high level, earning first-team all-WAMAC West Division honors last season.
Look for Holmes to be an even bigger piece of the puzzle this season for what should be an improved Clear Creek Amana squad.
Eli Freerks
Junior, Solon
Freerks is the top returning scorer on a Solon roster that saw 61 of 82 goals last season scored by departed seniors.
After starting four matches and scoring four goals as a freshman in 2021, Freerks ranked third on the team in both assists (7) and goals (6) last season helping Solon to a 16-3 record and a spot in the 1A substate title game.
Look for Freerks to build on his offensive numbers from the past two seasons this spring.
Joe Hamann
Junior, West Branch
The Bears lost their top goals scorer from a year ago in graduated senior Peyton Miller who was among the most productive players in the state but the cupboard is far from bare in West Branch. Atop the list of returning starters is Hamann who is coming off a stellar sophomore season in which he ranked second on the team in goals while helping West Branch to a 13-3 record.
Hamann had 13 goals and added four assists last season and will be among several Bears that look to pick up the goal scoring production with the loss of Miller this season.
Evan Lacina
Senior, Regina
Entering his third season as a starter Lacina is set for his best season yet after ranking third on the team in goals and second in assists last spring.
Lacina had four goals and four assists last season while helping Regina to a 10-12 record and a spot in the 1A substate title game last season.
This season look for Lacina to be one of the key contributors on a long list of returning starters as the Regals look to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2021.
Flori Gembo
Junior, Liberty High
Gembo made a splash last season when he ranked second on the team in goals and assists while helping the Lightning to the best season in program history.
A dynamic forward, Gembo scored 12 goals and added six assists a year ago on his way to earning second team Mississippi Valley Conference all-divisional honors.
Keegan Conway
Sophomore, Solon
Along with Freerks, Conway is another young Spartan that will be look upon to pick up the scoring slack after Solon graduated its top two scorers that accounted for 48 goals last season.
Conway was productive during his debut season, scoring four goals and ranking second on the team with eight assists while starting 16 matches as a freshman.
Much like Freerks, look for Conway to have a larger role and more production this season.
Trenton Schutte
Junior, West Branch
Another West Branch returner that will look to take on a bigger role this season, Schutte started all 14 matches last season as a sophomore helping the Bears to the most successful season in the brief history of the program.
Schutte ranked fifth on the team with four goals and was fourth on the team with five assists and should see those offensive numbers increase this season from his midfield spot.
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