Outright Raccoon River Conference champion and state quarterfinalist Perry had eight members of the 2015 boys soccer team earn All-RRC honors recently.
Perry finished the season 16-4 overall and was 7-0 in conference play. The state runner-up and conference co-champ in 2014, the Bluejays returned to the state tourney this year after winning the league title outright. Bluejay head coach Gary Overla was named the RRC Coach of the Year.
Senior goalie Jorge Soto was a no-surprise inclusion on the first team. Soto posted 11 shutouts this season and stopped all but seven shots against him in regulation play.
Joining Soto on the first team was junior midfielder Ian Velasco, a critical member of the Perry defense who, unfortunately for the Jays, suffered a season-ending knee injury May 12 during a 1-0 win at ADM. Velasco had one goal this year and was, in Overla’s words “our field general” directing the defense and midfielders.
Sophomore Jesus Rodriguez led Perry with 20 goals while providing five assists, numbers that assured the rising star a spot on the first team.
Senior defender Cameron Martinez (2 goals, 1 assist) and senior midfielder Oscar Chavez (2-2) were named to the second team, as were junior forward Ivan Garcia (9-8) and junior midfielder David Cardenas (2-2) while Zac Stetzel — another key component of the back-line defense — garnered honorable mention status.
Perry’s eight All-RRC selections led the league, as no other squad had more than five players named.
A complete list of the three All-RRC teams follows.
FIRST TEAM — Perry: Jorge Soto, Sr.; Ian Velasco, Jr.; Jesus Rodriguez, So. ADM: Derek Gushiken, Sr.; Connor Luther, Sr.; Noah Bardwell, Jr. Boone: Jared Dow, Sr.; Anthony Cunningham, Jr. Bondurant-Farrar: Nick Swift, Jr.; John Adkins, Sr. Carlisle: Hector Cortez, Jr. Winterset: Noah Larson, Jr.; Gavin Nevshemal, So.
SECOND TEAM — Perry: Cameron Martinez, Sr.; Oscar Chavez, Sr.; Ivan Garcia, Jr.; David Cardenas, Jr. ADM: Brett Buscher, Sr. Ballard: Charlie Rietz, Jr.; Brandon Kane, Sr. Bondurant-Farrar: Luke De Costa, So. Boone: Nick Schroeder, So. Carroll: Spencer Drumheller, Sr.; Cody Wardell, Sr. Carlisle: Bread Thorpe, Sr. Winterset: Britton Gibson, Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION — Perry: Zac Stetzel, Sr. ADM: Daniel Finnegan, Jr.; Bryce Godwin, Jr. Ballard: Alex Silberstein, Sr. Bondurant-Farrar: Chris Stoltz, Sr.; Jesse Foley, So. Boone: Blake Price, Sr.; Zeek Pearson, Jr. Carroll: Andrew Wittry, Jr. Carlisle: Jose Fuentes, Sr.; Connor Hage, So. Winterset: Mason Madren, So.; Matt Baur, Jr.
COACH OF THE YEAR — Gary Overla, Perry (7-0).
