Ankeny boys’ soccer standout Landon Benge has been named to the Class 4A all-state first team for the second straight year by the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association.
Benge, a senior forward, was joined on the first team by teammate Dylan Gloviak, a senior defender. Junior forward Tate Duax of Ankeny Centennial was also a first-team pick, while junior midfielder Cal Wahlberg of Ankeny was selected to the second team.
Benge scored a team-high 27 goals, which ranked third in Class 4A. He also contributed nine assists.
Gloviak had two goals and three assists while also serving as the leader of the team’s defensive unit that posted four clean sheets. He helped the Hawks to a 12-6-2 record and a trip to the Class 4A semifinals.
Duax led the Jaguars to a 13-6 record, a huge turnaround from last year’s 5-12 mark. He scored a team-high 10 goals and tied for the team lead in assists with six.
Wahlberg set a single-season school record with 19 assists, which ranked second in Class 4A. He also scored eight goals, including the golden goal in overtime against Des Moines Lincoln in the substate final that punched the Hawks’ ticket to the state tournament.
Senior midfielder Austin Lundberg of Ankeny and junior midfielder Brock Brazeau of Centennial both received all-state honorable mention. Brazeau had six goals and six assists for the Jaguars, while Lundberg contributed three goals and two assists for the Hawks.
All-conference teams
Benge and Gloviak were both repeat selections to the CIML Conference first team. They were joined on the squad by Wahlberg.
Centennial also had three first-team picks, including Brazeau and Duax. The Jaguars were also represented by junior midfielder Lucas De La Cuba.
Lundberg was a repeat selection to the all-conference second team. Senior forward Andrew Loder and junior defender Keaton Kobow of Ankeny were also named to the second team along with junior midfielder Ben Ridlen and junior defender Mace Nithang of Centennial.
Senior defenders Caleb Murray and Tyson Woerdehoff of Centennial both received all-conference honorable mention for the second consecutive year along with teammate Mason Goble, a junior midfielder. Junior midfielders Garrett Christensen and Alen Mujakovic, sophomore defender Maddox Rash and freshman goalkeeper Will Kreuger also earned honorable mention for the Jaguars.
Senior defender Henry McMillan and junior goalkeeper Jackson Dockendorff of Ankeny both received all-conference honorable mention for the second year in a row. Senior midfielders Jack Croskey and Brian Jimenez, senior defender Brandon Thaut and junior forward Ty Newhard also earned honorable mention for the Hawks.
Academic all-state teams
Christensen and Woerdehoff were also named to the academic all-state first team by the IHSSCA. Teammate Arnel Islamovic was also a first-team pick.
Jett Lovanh of Centennial was selected to the second team. Another Jaguar, Ethan Sextro, earned honorable mention.