Regals have the ‘green light’ to fire in 2025

IOWA CITY — Iowa City Regina knew it would have to solve a math equation this season.

How would the 2025 boys’ soccer team replace 66.2 percent of its goals from a year ago?

Forty-seven of Regina’s 71 goals scored in 2024, for a team that reached the Class 1A state semifinals, came from seniors — including 43 from the trio of Quinn Warren, Jack Hoover and Eddie Peterson.

Through nine matches, the answer has largely been a new group of scorers with a refined, empowered approach.

“I think it’s a combination of Laird (Holden) and Evan White,” Regina Coach Rick Larew said. “What happened over the last year or two, we became a bit too dependent on a couple of guys, so everyone else was afraid to shoot.

“What we said this year was, ‘Everyone has a green light.’ If they take a shot, I never second-guess them.”

Juniors Holden and White lead the Regals with 14 and 8 goals, respectively.

“Taking shots and not being afraid to miss is so important, especially for my teammates where maybe they didn’t have the confidence before,” Holden said. “Making sure that not only am I shooting and scoring, but my teammates are too, is something I’ve really been trying to do.”

Senior Matt Colony, a Wartburg football commit, is third for Regina with seven goals.

“He’s going to be a lineman at Wartburg,” Larew said. “He’s incredibly talented, but he obviously doesn’t have the build of a classic soccer player, so he’s bought into the ways we are trying to use him to take advantage of his skills.”

Sophomore Kevyn Dominguez and freshman Connor Hoffman are tied for fourth with four goals apiece.

“Kevyn was playing wing for us tonight,” Larew said. “He scored a couple early this season. If we put him in a position to score more often up top, he would. But we’ve got him playing wing and he likes playing wing — that’s just the unselfishness of the young man.”

Hoffman was the lone Regal to score Friday. His early second-half goal was the equalizer in a 1-1 tie at home against a much-improved Class 2A Maquoketa squad (6-1-2).

“He’s a soccer guy,” Larew said. “ He’s got incredible skill and unbelievable energy. He’s one of those rare kids who’s a leader from the day he stepped on the field.”

The Cardinals were 7-8 last season, but had outscored opponents 35- 6 entering Friday’s match.

“The thing I admire is that they’re being coached to play to their strengths,” Larew said. “This team had some talented guys up front, in the back, with a good goalie. They played well. They played hard.”

Junior goalkeeper Nolan Leick kept things close for Regina with four key saves.

“I’m so proud of him,” Holden said. “What a performance tonight. There were some difficult saves. The grass is wet. I couldn’t ask for more.”

“It’s instinct,” Leick said. “I can’t think about it too much; I’ve got to move on to the next one.”

It was a challenging week against Class 2A opponents for the 1A No. 3 Regals.

On April 22, Regina fell to 2A Central DeWitt (5-4-1), 3-2, on the road.

“DeWitt, they played well, too,” Larew said. “The quality of the game is improving here in my opinion, in terms of high school soccer.”

Larew has full confidence in his team bouncing back.

“We had our two hardest practices and our two best practices after that loss,” Larew said. “And I said, ‘The season isn’t over. You guys don’t know this, but I build every season so we can never go undefeated.’

“I’ve always got Bettendorf on the schedule. Bettendorf’s coach has been a friend of mine since high school. I think we’ve beaten them twice in 30 years.”

The Regals will travel for their annual matchup against Bettendorf on Monday. The Bulldogs are 3-0-2, sitting third in Class 4A’s Mississippi Athletic Conference.

“My personal opinion is we don’t want to go undefeated,” Holden said. “It’s really important to know where you lack and where you can get better. I think the best way to do that is playing higher, tougher competition.”