Wayland, IA- WACO had the opportunity to celebrate a trio of their student-athletes as they announced their commitment to athletics at the collegiate level, including one staying within the state to lend his services to a nascent program.
Pictured Left to Right: Matt Slagel (Dad), Caylon DeVaul (Coach), Gavin Slagel, Jen Slagel (Mom), and Corrine Slagel (Sister).
Gavin Slagel will be attending Goshen College in Indiana to continue his cross-country career. During the fall season, Slagel took 20th place at the Southeast Iowa Super Conference championship with a time of 18 minutes and 30 seconds, helping the Warriors lock up their first Conference Title in program history.
He would follow that up with a 12th place finish at the state qualifier, slashing eight seconds off his conference time, but falling short of qualifying for state. Goshen finished in 18th place at the NAIA National Championships this past winter.
Pictured Left to Right: Nathan Luitjens (Dad), Rob Shaw (Coach), Tristain Luitjens, and Rachelle Luitjens (Mom)
Out on the pitch, Tristain Luitjens will be taking his soccer talents to Bluffton University in Ohio. Luitjens helped revive WACO’s boys’ soccer program his freshman year, but put together his best season last year, nabbing eight goals and seven assists for 23 points, all team leads.
For his career, Luitjens has accumulated 19 goals and 21 assists for 59 points. The Warriors have gone 13-27 over the past three years. The Bluffton Beavers collected an 8-10-1 record this past season with a 5-4 mark in conference.
Pictured Left to Right: Chad Edeker (Coach), Adam Stafford, and Judith Stafford (Mom)
The towering 6’8 Adam Stafford will be looking to bolster the Mount Mercy University line of scrimmage as he signed his letter of intent to join the Mustangs in their first-ever season of football coming up in the fall.
Stafford is a two-time 1st Team All-District lineman, earning the distinction as a defensive lineman his junior season and offensive lineman his senior campaign. As a junior, Stafford wrapped up 32.5 tackles with 16 tackles for loss, including four sacks.
As a senior, he helped pave the way for the team to rush for 2,054 yards and 33 touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry. He finished his career with 65 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks as a three-time letter winner with the program. The Warriors extended their playoff streak to five consecutive years.