In Dallas Center-Grimes boys soccer's final game of the 2024 season, a better ending would have been tough to write.
Senior Tate McDermott fired a perfect corner kick into the center of the box, which was buried by fellow senior Brogan Fuller to win the first boys state soccer title in program history. Forever will they be remembered for a special season, with star outings from high-octane goal scorer Ben Jackson and the heroics from McDermott and Fuller to secure elusive hardware.
Flash forward to the spring of 2025, the Mustangs are essentially a completely different squad. Eight of their 11 starters graduated and 72 of 90 goals scored (program record) have departed with them. Four All-State honorees by Iowa's coaches have gone.
However, expectations and the standard of success under coach Collin Lane have hardly changed, as they aim to repeat as state champions in 2025.
DCG boys soccer putting together puzzle to try and win a second state title
As Lane describes it, building his team is like a putting together a puzzle.
Having Jackson, McDermott and eight total senior starters gave them the outline they needed to complete the puzzle last year. This time around, the only returning pieces from that starting 11 are senior goalkeeper Jaden Mendias, senior centerback Almin Islamovic and junior midfielder Colin Mandernach, leaving much of the puzzle coming into the season unsolved.
One thing apparent about this squad is its toughness and grit. While last year saw talent overcome obstacles, this is team has an edge to it.
"Last year, we were more flair," Islamovic said. "This year, I feel like we got the anger."
That tenacity starts on the backline with Islamovic, one of two team captains of the team. Not only with his play on defense, using his towering frame and length to slow down opposing attackers, he does so with his words as well. In game, you can often hear him holding his teammates accountable by asking for more passion and better execution.
Lane is quick to point out, Islamovic is also the first one to support and cheer on his teammates as well, making him a perfect fit to help lead this Mustang squad alongside Mendias. They lead the way vocally to try to establish an identity and sustain the success found one year ago.
"It just comes from the desire for these boys to make a name for themselves now," Lane said. "A lot of them were part of the team last yea and now they want to make it theirs. There's that ownership that comes out and that's what you hear on the field."
Through three games in 2025, Dallas Center-Grimes is still trying to put its puzzle together with a 1-1-1 record. Following a 3-2 loss to Johnston, the reigning Class 4A champion, they tied with Class 3A state semifinalist Norwalk in a 1-1 result. On April 10, the Mustangs earned their first win of the season with a dominant 3-0 effort against Des Moines Christian on the road.
In that game, the ...
