(Avoca, Iowa) – AHSTW boys soccer started this season with a disappointing loss to Grandview Christian and a loss to West Central Valley. Head coach Michael Martz is getting his players back to basics in hopes of getting back on track for next week's game against Van Meter.
The Vikings return last season's leading scorer, Caden Baxter, who has already had five shots on goal this year. Also featured is a newcomer in goaltender Aiden Akers, who has made 46 saves in two games and currently has an 85.2 save percentage. Defensively, Brian Martz, Kayden Rold, and Sawyer Kiesel are all returning captains and are the glue of this team.
Some improvements the Vikings would like to see is working on spacing on the field, which can sometimes throw things off. Coach Mertz wants his sons to work on calmness and control on the field to avoid an adrenaline rush.
This group of boys works hard on the field, regardless of score or fatigue. They always show up with a great deal of energy and excitement and process towards success on the field.
Things will be quick next week as AHSTW takes on Van Meter next Monday. One thing AHSTW will have to rely on is defense. Van Meter is a team that likes to play tough, and AHSTW will need to step up defensively to play against this Bulldogs team. Van Meter features Caleb Moore, who led the team with nine goals last season and already had an assist on Camden Reynolds' goal against Des Moines Christian.
The Vikings head into next week's game at Van Meter High School starting at 6 p.m.
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