backbone of the last two Tiger teams from the middle of the field. Nash Hanson, Isaac Weary, Dylan Terry and others leave sizable voids as well. Jordison says filling holes in the midfield is never easy, par- ticularly when players are as talented as Johnson and Kruck- enberg. “Those two guys in the center were the epitome of good leaders, maybe not with their voices but with their actions on the field,” he said. “Teams feel more when you lose that center midfield, that backbone of the whole formation. Every position is important, but you certainly feel changes like that more.” The good news is junior Billy Terrones returns to the midfield for his third year in the starting lineup, and Jordison is upbeat about the talent of sophomore Jacob Tallman. “Billy is just incredible and he covers so much ground. He’s always there in the right spot,” Jordison said. “Jacob is very technically gifted.” Gilbert returns plenty of offen- sive artillery as well, enough to make opponents gulp. It starts with all-state forward Tyler Hol- tan, a senior who scored 23 goals to go along with 11 as- sists a season ago. Also back on the front line is junior Pres- ton Stensland, who accounted for five goals and 10 assists a
season ago. “Everyone around here knows what Tyler can do,” Jordison said. “He has all the talent to be all-world if he wants to be. And Preston is bigger, stronger, and faster. He keeps getting more athletic every year.” Defensively, all-stater Logan Harswick, a junior, returns, as does senior Owen Mattson. During Jordison’s tenure, the Tigers’ defense has always been a strength. Throw in not one, but two of the area’s best goalkeepers in Matthew Weber and Tyler Jerkins — they com- bined for 74 saves a season ago — and it should be yet again. “I think it’s going to be a good blend of experience and skill,”
Jordison said of his defense. “The defense you see (in early April) and the defense you see in the middle of May will look to- tally different.” A key ingredient also returning to the fold is the talent and ex- perience of senior Connor Rash, who missed the entire 2024 season due to injury. Rash popped off for 12 goals in 2023 and, remember, it was his hat trick and match-winning goal in penalty kicks that cata- pulted Gilbert to the state title that spring. “We were missing Connor’s physical presence and just that swagger that he brings last year,” Jordison said. “He doesn’t overthink playing be- cause he’s confident in himself and how he plays.”
Jordison says a number of newcomers will also be varsity contributors, including poten- tially a few members of the freshman class. Gilbert expects to be right back in the thick of the race for the state crown. Jordison ad- mits 2024 champion Heelan will be and should be the favorite entering the season. He also expects his team to be battle- tested by the time the postsea- son rolls around due to another tough slate of conference teams. “We have good soccer in our conference and I love playing those teams,” he said. “You can’t take a night off.”
TUESDAY, APRIL 1: MASON CITY Information: At Mason City, 6:15 p.m. varsity start time
SATURDAY, MAY 10: PELLA Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 10 a.m. varsity start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 3: DES MOINES CHRISTIAN Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
SATURDAY, MAY 10: SIOUX CITY HEELAN Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 1 p.m. varsity start time
MONDAY, APRIL 7: BALLARD Information: At Huxley, 7 p.m. varsity start time
TUESDAY, MAY 13: CARLISLE Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
MONDAY, APRIL 14: ADM Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
TUESDAY, APRIL 22: BOONE Information: At Boone, 7 p.m. varsity start time
VARSITY
JUNIOR VARSITY
No.
Name
Gr Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Jr. Fr. So. Fr.
No.
Name
Gr Fr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Sr. So. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Sr. So. Sr. Fr.
0
Tyler Jerkins Matthew Weber Preston Stensland Tyler Holtan Cole Crawford Isaac Holtan Billy Terrones Connor Rash Owen Mattson Zachary Schrader Jacob Tallman Logan Harswick Asher Youngberg Tayton Warg Bennett Holz Cole Kaptur Mitch Walter
00 15 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 36 41
Charlie Maguire Drew Chapman Anthony Fugere Connor Mattson
Row 1: Owen Mattson, Connor Rash, Preston Stensland, Tyler Holtan, Mitch Walter, and Billy Terrones. Row 2: Matthew Weber, Zach Schrader, Eli Hague, Logan Harswick, Jacob Tallman, and Tyler Jerkins.
00
FRIDAY, APRIL 25: WINTERSET Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
William Youngberg Fr.
Felipe Maas Gabe Hicks
TUESDAY, APRIL 29: BONDURANT-FARRAR Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. start time
Nery Hernandez
Benji Lenz
Cian Baumgard Zeke Hatfield Meldin Grosic Chris Fisher Camden Eggert Jack McCaughey Logan Nelson Evan Goetz Judson Hatfield John Artz
THURSDAY, MAY 1: NEVADA Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 4:30 p.m. varsity start time
10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18
SATURDAY, MAY 3: NORTH POLK Information: At Alleman, 11 a.m. varsity start time
Jr. Jr. Jr.
TUESDAY, MAY 6: CARROLL Information: At Carroll, 7 p.m. varsity start time
Eli Hague
THURSDAY, MAY 8: PERRY Information: At Perry, 7 p.m. varsity start time
14 GAME ON | SPRING 2025
SPRING 2025 | GAME ON 15
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