Monday marks the first day of official practice at Greene County High School for boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls golf. Carl Behne is the boys’ head soccer coach and Marilyn Tasler leads the girls’ program. Josh Carlson begins year number one as the girls’ golf coach and Heath Telleen returns as the boys’ coach.

Behne and assistant Chad Black led the Rams to the Class 1A State Tournament quarterfinals in 2019 and potentially eight of those 11 starters could return. That list includes senior Junior Gutierrez and his 55 goals, which led all boys in all classes in Iowa high school soccer last season. Because of Gutierrez, and the others returning, Greene County is likely to begin the season highly ranked, and the Coach Behne said that’s a possibility. “Yeah, one would assume. You never know. It would make sense for us to be rated with the season that we had and the returning players we have. Junior, the top goal scorer, plus the twelfth leading goal scorer in Luis Velazco with 28. Yes, people are going to expect you to put up some points. We really improved defensively, cutting our goals allowed about in half from the first year and senior Cael Fisher returns as our goalie. So, we’ve got the offensive threat and a pretty sound returning defensive body to compete.”

Greene County schools are on Spring break, but practices in the sports mentioned will take place.