(Avoca, IA) — AHSTW has decided to not field their own soccer teams this spring. School Superintendent Darin Jones sent an e-mail to parents in the school system today stating the following, “We ae excited to announced that AHSTW CSD will be partnering with Riverside CSD for our boys and girls soccer programs moving forward. This partnership provides a great opportunity to expand participation, strengthen relationships between our schools and enhance the overall experience for our student athletes. We look forward to joining Riverside and their students for a successful season together.”
Jones further stated that all home events would be in Oakland which would bring the assumption that all practices would be at Riverside’s facilities as well.
Last season, the AHSTW girls soccer team fielded a team of 19 players with 6 Seniors. The Lady Vikes went 0-14 and have not had tremendous success recently with just two wins in their last four seasons and five wins in their last seven.
The boys soccer team has had more success but the numbers were in dire straights this year — the Vikings had 17 players a year ago but 11 of them were Seniors. AHSTW went 4-8-1 last year and had more success in 2022 when they won 10 games.
Riverside’s head coaches — Kayla Harris for the girls and Teresa Applegate will be in her first year for the boys — will still be directing the teams. The Bulldogs did not have large numbers themselves — the boys had just 12 players with no seniors and went 2-8-1; the girls were in better shape with 21 players and 4 seniors from last year and went 4-11-3.
Schedules will have to be adjusted — there are currently six teams that will field soccer teams in the Western Iowa Conference — Logan Magnolia, Missouri Valley, Riverside-AHSTW, Treynor, Tri Center and Underwood.
