• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

  • Home
  • About
    • Support Us
  • News
    • Podcast
  • Hawks
    • Baseball
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Softball
      • Roster
      • Schedule
  • Jaguars
    • Baseball
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Softball
      • Roster
      • Schedule

Hawks will have to replace Newhard, but 3 all-conference players are back

March 27, 2023 by Dan Holm

Ankeny coach Marcus Varnum questions a call during a game last season. Varnum guided the Hawks to a 19-2 record in 2022. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

Ankeny boys’ soccer coach Marcus Varnum faces a monumental task this season.

He’ll have to find a way to replace the scoring production from all-state forward Lucas Newhard.

Newhard joined the Hawks’ program for his senior season a year ago and led the team to a 19-2 record. He scored a school-record 36 goals, more than half of the team’s 71 goals, and also contributed nine assists.

Newhard was named to the Class 3A first team by the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association and was also selected the 2021-22 Gatorade Iowa Boys Soccer Player of the Year. He is now playing for Grand View.

“Lucas had an outstanding ability to create many goal-scoring opportunities and even put one or two away per game, and got on the score sheet for us during those scrappy competitions,” Varnum said. “We’ll miss his presence for sure, but our goal is to still create those moments in the game and make them count, while making sure we’re defensively sound in the back and prevent games getting away from us.”

Newhard led Ankeny to the CIML Iowa Conference title. The Hawks advanced to the Class 3A state tournament before dropping a 2-1 decision to eventual runner-up Waukee Northwest in the quarterfinals.

Varnum will also have to replace another all-stater in goalkeeper Kyle Pederson. He posted 11 shutouts, including seven in a row during one stretch midway through the season, while helping the team to a No. 1 seed at the state tournament.

“The expectations are to find our identity,” Varnum said. “When transitioning from last year’s team to this year’s team, it can look completely different. We’re a talented, smart and capable team, but one that has not had the chance to build up chemistry or familiarity with each other yet. That’s our main concern, then we can begin to worry about results and game plans.”

Ankeny defender Kwaku Kwarteng passes the ball during a game last season. Kwarteng is one of three returning all-conference players for the Hawks. (Photo by Dan Holm)

Three starters are back for the Hawks, led by senior defender Kwaku Kwarteng. He was a unanimous pick to the Iowa Conference first team.

Junior defender Tyler Woods, who had four assists a year ago, is another key piece of the team’s defensive unit. He has twice been named to the all-conference second team.

Junior midfielder Gannon Ripley is also back after earning all-conference honorable mention for the second straight year. He had a goal and two assists as a sophomore.

“It’s been a good start to the season so far,” Varnum said. “We’re getting familiar with each other again and introducing some of the newer (players) to the team and program.”

Among the team’s other returnees are a trio of forwards who saw a lot of action last season. Avry Olson, a junior, contributed two goals and three assists.

Landon Benge and Brian Jimenez both played in more than half of the games as freshmen. Benge scored five goals and had an assist, while Jimenez added three goals.

The Hawks will open the season on Saturday by hosting a pair of non-conference opponents from eastern Iowa at Northview Stadium. They will meet Linn-Mar (Marion) at 10 a.m. and Cedar Rapids Kennedy at 2 p.m.

“Cohesiveness and hard work will be the keys for this team to reach its potential,” Varnum said. “We’ve got talent and brains, but getting on the same page and buying in for one another will heighten our abilities for sure.”

Filed Under: Boys' Soccer, Hawks Tagged With: Marcus Varnum

Primary Sidebar

Support Ankeny Fanatic

Recent Posts

  • Eagles roll past Melcher-Dallas, will play in Class 1A district semifinal on Tuesday
  • Jaguars snap brief two-game skid with doubleheader sweep at Sioux City North
  • Kennedy blasts 4 homers in Jaguars’ 3 wins, sets single-season school record
  • ‘It already felt like home’: Gerstel to join Halverson on Ellsworth pitching staff
  • Struggling Hawkettes fall to 11-25 with shutout losses to ADM, North Polk

Find Us on Facebook

Ankeny Fanatic

Archives

  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017

Categories

  • Hawks
    • Fall
      • Boys’ Cross Country
      • Boys’ Golf
      • Football
      • Girls’ Cross Country
      • Girls’ Swimming
      • Volleyball
    • Spring
      • Boys’ Soccer
      • Boys’ Tennis
      • Boys’ Track
      • Girls’ Golf
      • Girls’ Soccer
      • Girls’ Tennis
      • Girls’ Track
    • Summer
      • Baseball
      • Softball
        • Roster
    • Winter
      • Boys’ Basketball
      • Boys’ Bowling
      • Boys’ Swimming
      • Girls’ Basketball
      • Girls’ Bowling
      • Boys’ Wrestling
  • Jaguars
    • Fall
      • Boys’ Cross Country
      • Boys’ Golf
      • Football
      • Girls’ Cross Country
      • Girls’ Swimming
      • Volleyball
    • Spring
      • Boys’ Soccer
      • Boys’ Tennis
      • Boys’ Track
      • Girls’ Golf
      • Girls’ Soccer
      • Girls’ Tennis
      • Girls’ Track
    • Summer
      • Baseball
      • Softball
    • Winter
      • Boys’ Basketball
      • Girls’ Basketball
      • Wrestling
  • Top Sports Stories
    • Football
    • Volleyball
  • Baseball
  • Softball

© 2025 Ankeny Fanatic. All rights reserved.