Greene County boys’ head soccer coach Carl Behne returns eight starters from the 2019 team that qualified for the Class 1A State Tournament. Add in some promising newcomers to what was an already powerful lineup, and the Rams looked to start the 2020 season highly ranked. Instead, the season was put on hold the day before official practice was to begin, and school, and sports, have not been held since March 13.

If school resumes on May 1, then abbreviated high school sports seasons could be held, according to a release earlier this week from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union and Iowa High School Athletic Association.

Junior Gutierrez led all of Iowa boys’ soccer players in goals scored last year, and he returns, as do fellow seniors Yunior Carbello and Cael Fisher. Other talented players are also back, too, and the coach talked about the possibility of still having a season. “Ya, you’re certainly not going to have the senior leadership every year that you have this year. You’re not always going to have a Junior who led the state in goals scored, or a Yunior, an outstanding defensive player, or an experienced returning goalie in Cael Fisher. That just doesn’t happen. Not to mention some freshmen talent that can jump right in. Those are things you’d like to be able to capitalize on, and with the little bit of hope for a season we’ll be able to do just that.”

The coach added, “At the end of the day I’d just like the boys to be able to make some memories together and enjoy that last senior season for those guys. You know those are special times in your high school career no matter what the sport is, no matter how long you’ve been playing it. That’s just a special moment, so would hate for any of those seniors to miss out on that.”

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