MOUNT VERNON BOYS SOCCER PREVIEW
Coach: Nate Grosse
2024 finish: 7-9, 4-5 WaMaC East
Returning letterwinners (13): Cash Luneckas, jr.; Caleb Bartelt, so.; Gavin Plathe, jr.; Carter Gadberry, so.; Landon Grosse, jr.; Jaxon Anderson, jr.; Andrew Barns, sr.; Jakob Yock, so.; Mason Chizek, sr.; Isaac Dausener, jr.; Jonathan Winkler, so.; Jayden Pyatt, so.; Cole McDermott, so.
Outlook: The 2025 Mount Vernon boys’ soccer team has the unique mix of being young, but experienced.
There are only three seniors on the roster, and Coach Nate Grosse expects sophomores and freshmen to play.
“We’ve got a lot of talent coming back, guys that played a lot of minutes,” Grosse said. “We feel optimistic about where things are heading.”
The program got a big boost recently when boys’ soccer became an officially sanctioned middle school sport at Mount Vernon, instead of just a club sport.
Grosse said that will help bridge the gap from youth soccer to high school soccer in Mount Vernon.
The Mustangs return their top four players in shots on goal from last season – junior Jaxon Anderson (15), junior Gavin Plathe (12), sophomore Carter Gadberry (11) and sophomore Caleb Bartelt (10).
Grosse feels the Mustangs can play the “beautiful game” type of soccer, but worries about going up against older, more physical teams.
“The type of soccer we’re playing looks really good,” Grosse said. “We’ll see how that correlates.”
The defense is anchored by juniors Landon Grosse, Cash Luneckas and Gavin Platte. Senior Andrew Barns returns in goal after limited minutes a year ago. He’ll be pushed by freshman Zion Soffo.
“He has experience in club ball and knows the game at a high level,” Grosse said.
MOUNT VERNON GIRLS SOCCER PREVIEW
Coach: Angie Knies (first season)
2024 finish: 10-8, 6-3 Wamac East
Returning letterwinners (16): Timber Scholl, so.; Isabelle Logue, jr.; Emara Perreault, jr.; Miranda Sellner, so.; Lillian Gaiser, jr.; Keira Bergmann, sr.; Cana Safo, sr.; Aubrey Ford, jr.; Rose Pisarik, so.; Kaia Swaim, so.; Clare Nydegger, sr.; Addison Mullis, sr.; Courtney Franck, jr.; Lilly Cook, jr.; Aly Lashley, jr.; Aubrey Ford, jr.
Outlook: Mount Vernon hired Angie Knies to take over the girls’ soccer program. She is a former Cedar Rapids Prairie prep with a fresh outlook and lots of energy.
Last fall she was playing for Southern Utah. The transition from player to coach has been quick.
“I’ve played soccer since as far back as I can remember,” Knies said. “I was ready to switch to the coaching side. So far, it’s the best job I’ve taken.”
Knies said all of the players have been great to work with.
“They come to practice ready to go,” Knies said. “They’ve made the transition a little easier. They know how the high school season works.”
Mount Vernon recently has been pretty good at girls’ soccer (33-5 in 2021 and 2022) and then pretty average (19-17 in 2023 and 2024).
“I feel great,” Knies said. “I haven’t seen any other teams, but our girls are working their butts off. I’m excited to see how we can improve from last year.”
Knies was a defensive player, but likes the Mustangs’ front line and thinks this team should be an offensive power. Six of the top seven goal scorers from last year return, including sophomore Timber Scholl, who had nine goals and 23 points.
Senior Clare Nydegger (8 goals, 21 points), junior Lillian Gaiser (8 and 19) and junior Isabelle Logue (7 and 23) also return, as does junior Courtney Franck (6 and 14).
Senior Cana Safo returns after logging 1,055 minutes in goal last season.
“The girls are really great,” Knies said. “It helps having so many returners.”
MOUNT VERNON BOYS TRACK PREVIEW
Coach: Ryan Whitman
2024 finish: Tied for 41st in 3A
Returning letter-winners (18): Colin Bentley, sr.; Kaleb Coon, sr.; Jaks Lee, sr.; Gabriel Mahoney, sr.; Seamus O’Connor, sr.; Grady Olberding, sr.; Luke Paulus, sr.; Cayden Scheil, sr; Cole Thurn, sr.; Graham Vavricek, sr.; Stanley Krob, jr.; Brogan Meyer, jr.; Dawson Scheil, jr.; Logan Stanerson, jr.; Brady Weaver, jr.; Alex Briesemeister, so.; Chasen Caskey, so.; Maddox Thede, so.
Outlook: It is an uphill run for the Mustangs, who scored just one point at the 3A state meet last spring.
The Mustangs do return a couple of exciting distance runners in senior Grady Olberding and junior Dawson Scheil. They both competed at state in the spring, with Olberding claiming that lone team point by placing eighth in the 1,600 meters.
“We have a lot of guys with experience in the distance and middle distance,” Mount Vernon coach Ryan Whitman said. “That’ll be something we really lean on.”
Overall, the numbers are down a little bit for the Mustangs. A few athletes decided not to go out and use the spring to recover. That hurts the depth.
The early part of the season will be spent trying to find sprinters, jumpers and throwers. Some of the younger athletes will be tested early and often.
“I’m excited to see them come into their own,” Whitman said. “It is a development year, but I have high expectations, and have challenged a few guys.”
LISBON BOYS TRACK PREVIEW
Coach: Lonnie Speidel
2024 finish: First in Class 1A
Upperclassment: Anthony Armstrong, so.; Asa Bee, so.; Tiernan Boots, sr.; Kael Chappell, sr.; Dakota Clark, sr.; Quinn Coleman, sr.; Sawyer Feldman, jr.; Kage Fox, so.; Cade Happel, jr.; Kyler Happel, so.; Ethan Hoekstra, sr.; Gage Holub, sr.; Gavin Hove, so.; Hayden Jackson, sr.; Carew Kamaus, jr.; Chase McFarlane, jr.; Ryder Meeks, so.; Logan Mitchell, so.; Elliott Moehlman, jr.; Tristan Morgan, so.; Aiden Morrill, sr.; Drayden Nunemaker, so.; Tate Petersen, so.; Jackson Powers, sr.; Henry Reiling, so.; Leon Rogers, so.; Caleb Ross, jr.; Wesley Sadler, sr.; Daylin Schaefer, sr.; Caleb Snyder, sr.; Justin Snyder, so.; Brody Speidel, jr.; Riley Stone, sr.; Ethan Stone, so.; Jacob Walerius, sr.; Grayson Wollum, sr.
Outlook: The two-time Class 1A champions are looking for a three-peat.
It is going to be harder without a few top sprinters who graduated last spring. But there is still plenty of talent, and speed, for the Lions to contend again.
Leading the way will be Tiernan Boots, who was second in the 100-meter dash to teammate Baylor Speidel in 2024. He also ran legs on the winning 4×100 and 4×200 relays.
Also returning from those winning relays are senior Quinn Coleman and senior Dakota Clark.
Daylin Schaefer returns after placing second at state in the long jump. Gage Holub was fourth in the 110 hurdles. Junior Chase McFarlane, junior Brody Speidel and sophomore Anthony Armstrong also ran on state-placing relays.
After the Tri-Rivers Indoor, it looks like the Lions may have a stronger middle-distance core, too.
MOUNT VERNON GIRLS TRACK PREVIEW
Coach: Kory Swart
2024 finish: Fourth in Class 3A
Returning letter-winners (12): Edith Dawson, jr.; Libby Dix, sr.; Olivia Haverback, sr.; Madison Hoffert, so,; Evelyn Moeller, so.; Abbie Moss, sr.; Samantha Schoff, sr.; Kara Swantz, sr.; Kiersten Swart, jr.; Eastin Whisner, so.; CaliAna Whitaker, jr.; Lucy Wischmeyer, so.
Outlook: Another title for the Mustang girls to go with volleyball and basketball? It could be within reach. Mount Vernon finished fourth in 3A last season, seven points back of the 3A champion, ADM.
A number of athletes return after a big season in 2024 where Mount Vernon won the WaMaC and the State Qualifier.
But a few key athletes graduated, and a few more didn’t go out for track this spring.
“That won’t help our team score,” Mount Vernon coach Kory Swart said. “On the flip side, we’ve got quite a set of athletes, a nice nucleus that will be ready to go and build on what we had happen last year.”
The Mustangs sprint medley relay finished third and the 4×800 was fourth at state. The distance medley was seventh and two other relays (shuttle hurdle and 4×400) qualified for state.
Individually, senior Libby Dix finished third in both the discus and shot put, sophomore Eastin Whisner was third in the 400 hurdles, and junior CaliAna Whitaker was seventh in the 400.
“We have a lot to build on,” Swart said. “But we’re still working through a couple injuries.”
Swart is hoping it all comes together.
“Stay tuned,” he said. “We’ll give it our best shot, and maybe grab a trophy.”
LISBON GIRLS TRACK PREVIEW
Coach: Brett Epperly
2024 finish: Sixth in Class 1A
Returning letter-winners (14): Ava Ahrendsen, so.; Lohgan Anderson, jr.; Addie Clark, sr.; Holley Dighton, so.; Brynn Epperly, sr.; Mykala Luzum-Selmon, jr.; Leila Mayhew, so.; Gretchen Moehlman, sr.; Janissa Morillo, so.; Emma Pleasant, so.; Emersyn Reiter, jr.; Hallie Ries, so.; Alexa Roos, jr.; Savannah Valdez, sr.
Outlook: The Lions made a run at a 1A title last spring, eventually finishing sixth. If they make another run, it’ll look a lot different.
“We have kind of a really unique mix of kids,” Lisbon coach Brett Epperly said. “We have some experience, but we are also very young.”
Three all-state athletes return – senior Brynn Epperly, senior Addie Clark, and junior Mykala Luzum-Selmon.
“We lost a lot to graduation, but we have a couple pieces back,” Epperly said. “We’re working to fill those spots and build our team.”
Epperly has seen growth in the Lions’ distance group, an area they didn’t amass many points a year ago.
“They’ve really put in the work,” Epperly said. “We’re going to be really competitive.”