The annual Southeast Iowa Superconference soccer tournament gets underway tonight with quarterfinal action and three matches featuring teams from the KCII listening area. It’s a doubleheader at Hillcrest Academy this evening. The first contest of the night pits the fourth seeded WACO Warriors against the five seed Nikes of Burlington Notre Dame. The Warriors enter play with a 5-6 overall record and 4-4 mark in league play. In their last match they beat Highland 2-0 Saturday, with a goal each from Tristan and Kieran Luitjens, an assist for Tristian Luitjens and a clean sheet with 11 saves for Colton Leichty. This season, the Warriors have outscored their opponents 26-20 in total with 167 shots, 86 on goal, 42 corner kicks, 18 assists and 92 saves with an 87% team save percentage. Individually, Keiran Luitjens leads with eight goals, Tristian Luitjens has eight assists and Leichty has made 88 saves with an 87% save percentage.
Notre Dame is 5-7 on the year, 4-4 in conference, winners of four straight including a 10-0 victory over Wapello Friday. As a team, they have been outscored this year 21-20 with 170 shots, 83 on goal, 38 corner kicks 13 assists and 65 saves with a 75% team save percentage. Individual leaders include Bobby Willdrick with six goals, Tatum Warner with four assists, and in goal, Taylor Lundgren has 60 saves and an 80% save percentage. The Warriors beat the Nikes in April 2-0 at Notre Dame, on two goals from Nick West and a 13 save clean sheet from Leichty. Action between the Warriors and Nikes starts at 5p.m. at Hillcrest Academy.
The nightcap in Kalona features the top seeded Ravens on their home pitch against the visiting Highland Huskies. The Ravens are 9-2 this season, 7-1 outright champions of the Southeast Iowa Superconference, clinching the title Friday with a 4-0 win over Columbus as Mason Swartzendruber, Micah Gerber, Mason Bender and Phoenix Anderson all had goals, Seth Ours added two assists and Kyle Neuschwander and Andrew Kauffman combined on an eight save clean sheet. This year, the Ravens have outscored their opponents 42-9 in total with 215 shots, 127 on goal, 47 corner kicks 34 assists and 58 saves with an 87% save percentage. Individual leaders include Gerber with 13 goals, Ours with 11 assists and Neuschwander with 39 saves and an 83% save percentage.
Highland is 5-8 this season, 2-6 in conference after a 2-0 loss to WACO Saturday. The Huskies have been outscored 43-32 this year with 172 shots, 93 on goal, 23 corners, 18 assists and 112 saves with a 75% save percentage. Individually, Jared Diaz leads with 12 goals and four assists, Ayden Havel has 109 saves with a 74% save percentage. The Ravens beat the Huskies 5-1 in Kalona last week behind a Gerber hat trick. Louis Horak had the goal for the Huskies. Hillcrest has won 15 of the 18 all-time meetings in this series including six straight. Action starts at 7p.m. at Hillcrest Academy.
In the late game at Danville Tuesday, the second seeded Bears welcome the seventh seed Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union Wildcats for their quarterfinal. Danville/New London is 9-2 on the year, 6-2 in the Superconference after a 5-2 win over WACO Friday where Kadu Garcia had a hat trick and Talan Whaley had four assists. On the season, the Bears have outscored their opponents 46-12 in total with 288 shots, 167 on goal, 60 corners, 36 assists and 85 saves with an 88% team save percentage. Individually, Colin Pealer has a team leading 18 goals, Whaley a team best 12 assists and in goal, Aiden Konig has 81 saves with an 88% save percentage.
The Wildcats are 2-7 this season, 2-4 in Superconference play after being shut out Friday at Hillcrest Academy 4-0. This season, Columbus/WMU has been outscored 36-9 in total. Top ‘Cats individually are Fernando Erazo with five goals, Juan Inarritu-Cruz and Bryan Tlatenchi with an assist each and Leo Corona with 41 saves and a 56% save percentage. These two teams met in early April, with the Bears winning 4-0, snapping a seven match losing streak to the Wildcats. Action starts at 7p.m. at Danville.
The final quarterfinal of the tournament will be played at 5p.m. in Danville between the three seed Mediapolis Bulldogs and the sixth seed Central Lee Hawks. MEPO beat the Hawks 1-0 during the regular season. Quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals Friday at WACO.