The Hillcrest Academy Raven soccer team takes the pitch for the first time in 2025 tonight when they host the Burlington Notre Dame Nikes. The Ravens were 10-4 overall a year ago, and 8-2 in the Southeast Iowa Superconference, sharing the title with Mediapolis. Hillcrest scored 46 goals and gave up 14 with 151 shots on goal, 63 corners, 37 assists and three made Pks to go with 73 saves and an 85% team save percentage. The Ravens return their top three scorers, led by Micah Gerber’s 14 goals as a junior. Assist leader Seth Ours is also back after 11 helpers a year ago. The Ravens return the keeper duo of Kyle Neuschwander and Andrew Kauffman who combined to work all 1100 minutes in goal as juniors. Hillcrest head coach Marcus Miller joined the KCII PM Sports Page season preview show to talk about what he’s looking from his team this year, “We have a good group of seniors back so we should have some good senior leadership, and good experience. Especially in the defensive end. I’m looking forward to seeing how those guys have improved. (Last year) we did well partly because our defense was so strong, but it’s a little stressful always win games 1-0. If we had a little more consistent scoring that would be great.”
Burlington Notre Dame was 9-9 overall a year ago, 5-4, fourth in the Superconference. They are 0-1 coming into tonight after a 3-0 loss Tuesday at Davenport Assumption. The Nikes scored 39 goals and gave up 32 with 121 shots on goal, 64 corners, 26 assists, eight made Pks, 84 saves and a 75% team save percentage. They lost leading scorer Bobby Willdrick and his 11 goals to graduation but do return second in line Ashton West after six goals as a freshman and leading assister Caedon Ott with six as a junior. In goal, Notre Dame brings back the duo of John Paul Hill and Taylor Lundgren who worked every minute of last season. These two teams split their two matchups a season ago with Hillcrest winning 1-0 at Notre Dame and the Nikes getting revenge in the Superconference tournament semis in Pks at WACO. Overall, they have split their last 20 meetings. Action starts tonight at 5p.m. At Hillcrest Academy.