Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Last year some of the best teams and top individual soccer players were right here in the Your Prep Sports Area.

With five teams in the preseason rankings that should be the case once again this season.

Here are five are players to keep an eye on as the season officially opens for area teams.

Jonah Dancer

Senior, City High

A second team all-state and first team all-conference pick last season Dancer was among the top offensive threats on a City High squad that reached the state tournament for a school-record sixth consecutive season.

Dancer led City High with nine goals and added four assists from his midfield spot.

Brody Schilling

Sophomore, West High

Schilling got his feet wet last season as a freshman and was at his best during West High’s postseason run that ended with a Class 3A state title.

A versatile athlete that West High coach Brad Stiles says can play anywhere on the field, Schilling had a pair of goals during West High’s four consecutive wins over ranked teams to end the season.

Schilling had a goal in a 7-0 regional final win over Waterloo West and added a goal in a 4-1 semifinal victory over Bettendorf.

Eric Weetman

Senior, Solon

In his first season as the full-time starter Weetman became a stalwart in goal for Solon as the Spartans reached the state tournament for the third time in program history.

Weetman earned second-team all-WAMAC honors and was an honorable mention all-state selection after allowing 12 goals and making 78 saves last season.

Solon had 15 shutouts in its 16 wins last season and had five consecutive shutouts to end the regular season.

Nick Pechous

Senior, Regina

Pechous had an impressive junior season scoring 21 goals on his way to first-team all-state honors but he was never better than he was at the state tournament.

The midfielder scored three of Regina’s four state-tournament goals including the game-winner in the state title match against Davenport Assumption while being named captain of the Class 1A all-tournament team.

Pechous added seven assists a year ago which ranked second on the team.

Mitch Evans

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

Emerged as the top goal scoring threat for the Clippers last season as a sophomore when he converted a team-high 11 goals on his way to earning second-team all-WAMAC West honors.

Evans was the only Clipper with double digit goals last year as Clear Creek Amana went 11-7 and reached the district final.