The Solon varsity boys soccer team honed their skills ahead of the 2022 season start with a 4-1 scrimmage match win, at home, over Mid-Prairie Thursday, March 24.
Seniors Dillon Bruck, Owen Erusha and William Wittich, along with sophomore Eli Freerks scored for the Spartans. The Hawks’ goal came in the second half on a penalty kick (PK).
“This is something we do every year with Mid-Prairie and we’re glad they come up here, it is a really good experience for our guys, their guys. We’ve been going for a little over a week now seeing the same faces, seeing everybody’s habits, so it’s good seeing somebody fresh. With the new change in the schedule, we’re four days earlier now when we can play so it’s nice to get a game under our belt,” said Head Coach Jeremy McMurrin.
The season officially started on Monday, March 28, with a varsity girl-boy doubleheader, at home, against West Delaware. Iowa City Regina visits, for another girl-boy double dip, on Thursday, March 31, with the girls starting at 5:30 p.m. and the boys following at 7 p.m.
“We’re going to find out what we’re made of,” McMurrin said of opening the season with two perennial powerhouse competitors.
“And then we’ve got three on Saturday,” he said, referencing the Spartans’ varsity tournament with Clinton, Mediapolis and Wapello, starting at 8:30 a.m. at Spartan Stadium.
“Schedule-wise, we’re very front-heavy. We’ll find out who we are and what we’re made of and it gives us time to recover throughout the year when we’re not as busy leading into the postseason.”
McMurrin, with 18 years with the Spartans, returns seven seniors (Bruck (forward/middle), Nate Ferguson (defender), Ethan McLaughlin (defender), Wittich (midfield), Erusha (midfield), Logan Sieverding (defender), and John Peters (keeper)) to the starting line up with junior Garrett Swan (defender) and sophomore Josiah Hale (midfield).
Also back are senior Gabe Hinman (midfield/forward), juniors Lewis Sutton (midfield), Nate Shafer (midfield), and Drew Johnson (defender), and sophomore Freerks (midfield/forward). New to the squad are senior Landon Hummel (keeper), junior Nick Medin (forward), and freshmen Keegan Conway (midfield), Caleb Bock (midfield), Zander Stookey (keeper), and Evan Burg (midfield). Eyasu Russell will assist McMurrin this season.
The Spartans finished the ’21 season at 13-6 overall and 3-2 in WaMaC competition.
The Spartans visit the Marion Wolves Tuesday, April 5, at 4:15 p.m., with junior varsity to follow.
Logan Sieverding drives the ball downfield Thursday, March 24, in a scrimmage match against Mid-Prairie. Solon won the match, 4-1.