First-year coach Kyle McAbee looks to grow Vinton-Shellsburg boys’ soccer program

MARION — Two teams on the opposite ends of the boys' soccer spectrum kicked off the Linn-Mar Invitational Saturday at 9 a.m. The contrast on the field could not have been more stark.

Host Linn-Mar is coming off a Class 3A state championship and will challenge again. Opponent Vinton-Shellsburg was 0-16 a year ago and 2-14 the year before that. The program has only been in existence since 2012.

So the Lions' 12-1 victory to open the tournament was no surprise. Yet first-year Vikings Coach Kyle McAbee was unfazed.

'We started a lot of younger guys, and they'll get great experience against a team like that,' McAbee said.

McAbee, a 2012 Vinton-Shellsburg graduate who served as a Viking assistant one year while attending Coe, didn't schedule this tournament. His predecessor, Tim Kearney, was a Linn-Mar graduate who played for Corey Brinkmeyer and always wanted to bring his team to play here. But Kearney left after last season.

It was a mismatch anyway, but the Vikings were without several players because of a class trip. Despite the obstacles, McAbee says he's excited to coach at his alma mater.

'We've got guys who've never played,' McAbee said. 'We've spent this year working on fundamentals. (Linn-Mar) has a dream program.

'We wanted them to compete. Keep their heads up, play clean, be physical, compete for every 50-50 ball.'

McAbee knows the technical skill isn't there right now but is excited about some middle school players who've gotten involved in club soccer and some high school guys who've expressed interest in attending soccer camps to improve skills. It will take time and patience.

Brinkmeyer said it was happenstance that the Vikings ended up in the Lions' bracket of the otherwise highly competitive tournament. To its credit Linn-Mar stuck to its knitting and played very well despite the circumstances.

'The last two games we played outstanding,' Brinkmeyer said. 'We played equally as well today if not better than we did against Jefferson. We've been able to get everybody on the field and get guys some minutes that in a closer game might not happen.'

Lion goals came from Faheem Hossein, Devin Eby, Blake Comstock (2), Danny Peak, Hunter Wong (2), Matt Thies, Jack Ramsey, Tyler Brinning, Alex Davenport and Keith Brendes. Vinton-Shellsburg's goal was scored by John Betterton.

Linn-Mar later scored 4-0 wins over North Scott and Davenport Central to win the tournament.

LINN-MAR CHALLENGER CUP

Red Pool

Linn-Mar 12, Vinton-Shellsburg 1

Linn-Mar 4, North Scott 0

North Scott 5, Vinton-Shellsburg 1

Black Pool

Davenport Central 3, Cedar Falls 2

Muscatine 2, Cedar Falls 0

Davenport Central 2, Muscatine 1

Championship

Linn-Mar 4, Davenport Central 0