Madison College men's soccer coach Cory Sims has announced his incoming Class of 2018 featuring eight student-athletes - four of which hail from the immediate Madison metro area - that could help push the WolfPack to new heights. The group includes Evan Bartz (Jefferson, WI), Ty Hurla (Topeka, KS), Saxon LaFlash (Madison, WI), Eder Lavariega (Walworth, WI), Jonas Luskey-Sanders (Madison, WI), Edgar Medina (Chicago, IL), Evan Thom (Madison, WI), and Ryan Traynor (McFarland, WI).

Evan Bartz, a 6'2" center back, helped the Jefferson HS Eagles to a 4-11-1 record as a senior. Bartz also played club soccer with Watertown SC.

Comment from Coach Sims: "Evan has good anticipation skills and is comfortable and calm on the ball. His distribution skills and speed of play will provide a huge boost to our back line."

Ty Hurla, a 6'0" defender, earned all-city and all-league honors while playing at Seaman HS, which posted an 11-7 record and reached the Kansas 5A Regional Final during his senior season. Hurla played club soccer with Jambars FC.

Comment from Coach Sims: "Ty brings a good physical presence and versatility to our back line. His ability to play in a couple of positions will help us tremendously. He comes from good high school and club programs, so I think he will adapt well and contribute right away."

Saxon LaFlash, a 5'10" goalkeeper, manned the net for Madison Memorial HS and earned honorable mention accolades as a senior. The Spartans finished 6-8-5 with LaFlash serving as a team captain. He played club soccer with Rush WI.

Comment from Coach Sims: "Saxon's maturity is one of his strongest attributes. He is confident and aggressive in the box and has very good reflexes. He will certainly be a leader on the pitch."

Eder Lavariega, a 5'6" defender and midfielder, scored nine goals for Big Foot HS en route to a first team all-conference selection and a repeat team MVP/Golden Boot honor as a senior. He was named second team all-conference as a junior and freshman, the last coming after a Rock Valley Conference championship run by the Chiefs, and finished his career with 20 goals and 11 assists. Lavariega played club soccer with the Chicago Magic, Sockers FC, and Chicago Alliance.

Comment from Coach Sims: "Eder is a hard-working and versatile player. His commitment and dedication will be great assets to our program. He has played at a high level for a long time and I expect that will continue when he joins the WolfPack."

Jonas Luskey-Sanders, a 6'0" midfielder and forward, helped Madison East HS win the Big Eight Conference title for the first time in more than 25 years with a 8-0-1 league mark, part of a 14-5-1 overall record. A four year varsity player for the Purgolders, Luskey-Sanders helped the program to a 44-32-19 during that time period, with nearly 70% of the wins coming during his junior and senior seasons.

Comment from Coach Sims: "Jonas' game has grown tremendously in the last couple of year as he has matured physically and tactically. I look forward to watching him continue that development with out program. He is a very self-assured player who plays well under pressure. His dynamism will help to make us very threatening in the front two-thirds of the pitch."

Edgar Medina, a 5'8" defender and midfielder, was a key contributor for the Lake View HS Wildcats, who reached the sectionals of the Illinois high school playoffs.

Comment from Coach Sims: "Edgar is intelligent and has good instincts, which will allow him to be a versatile player for us. He competes hard and is willing to face up to any challenge, a skill that will go a long way in helping us solidify our structure."

Evan Thom, a 5'9" midfielder, played two years of varsity soccer at Madison West HS and helped the Regents to a 24-12-4 record over those two seasons. As a junior he was named second team all-conference and honorable mention all-area.

Comment from Coach Sims: "Evan is very composed, a great passer of the ball, and capable of scoring goals, as well. His poise and maturity really stand out, and it is clear that he will be an example of professionalism, on and off the field, for his teammates."

Ryan Traynor, a 6'4" center back, was a key contributor in McFarland High School's three-year run as Rock Valley Conference champions. The Spartans went 46-17-5 over his time on varsity, which saw Traynor score eight goals and register five assists. As a senior he was named honorable mention all-conference.

Comment from Coach Sims: "Ryan is the prototype of the modern center back. He reads the game and intercepts well, has a good physical presence, is comfortable starting play from the back, and has very good technical skills. He's a hard worker and he's very focused on his studies. I expect he will play a significant role in our success during his time at Madison College."

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