Veteran group to lead Dutch boys soccer
Mar. 21—PELLA — After a couple consecutive trips to state, the Pella boys soccer team fell just short of a third straight appearance after falling in the substate finals. The Dutch return a very talented senior class that will try to lead Pella back to Des Moines this spring.
Head coach Mark Solomon needs to replace seven graduated players from last year's team including five starters. But the Dutch also return the likes of Teddy Apostolopoulos, Max Lauman, Austin Bone, Carson Leathers, Levi Hansen, Kolton Messer, Aren Hellbusch, Kelby Sorheim, Tyson Barnes, Gideon VandeKieft, Ben Krogstad, Caleb Kalkwarf, Tristan Huckstep and Emmanuel Diers.
"We have a strong returning core of varsity players and team leaders from the past couple seasons, which should help our confidence and poise this season," Solomon said.
Apostolopoulos and Lauman are both signed to continue their soccer careers at Central this fall but get one last run with Pella this spring. Apostolopoulos is a talented mid-fielder that is a set piece specialist but can also score himself. Last year he was second on the team with seven goals to go with a team-high six assists. Expect him to have the ball on his feet a lot this season. Lauman was a first team all-state selection on defense and is back to anchor Pella's back line.
With the Dutch losing 33 of their 52 goals from a year ago due to graduations, Bone could be another one that steps up his goal scoring with Apostolopoulos after tallying five goals and six assists last year.
Joining that veteran group will be newcomers Chase Hamilton, Dominic Davis, Gabe Schlerman and Judah Hartson as they will try to crack the lineup.
Pella will get plenty of tests this season starting out with a trip to Ankeny to open the season while also facing some of the top 3A teams including Hoover, Norwalk, Dallas Center-Grimes, Marion and ADM.
Colin Peters can be reached at 641-672-2581, by email at cpeters@oskyherald.com or on Twitter @ColinPetersOH.
