The second-best season in the last 12 years of Marshalltown boys soccer yielded an astronomical 11 all-conference honors for the Bobcats.

MHS marched to an 11-6-1 spring campaign that marked the Bobcats’ best record since the 2019 state qualifier went 16-3.

This year’s contingent recorded a remarkable seven first-team all-Iowa Alliance Conference North Division selections, including two unanimous selections and repeat first-team honorees. Marshalltown players represented more than half of the 13-player top team.

Senior midfielder Aaron Ordaz Zambrano and junior defender Edgar Meraz both were unanimous first-team all-Alliance North picks as voted by the league’s coaches, each of them returning to the first team for the second year in a row.

It’s the second unanimous first-team honor for Meraz, who helped to anchor a Marshalltown defense that pitched six shutouts and allowed just 1.6 goals per game this past spring. Meraz also scored his first varsity goal during the Bobcats’ season-opening match against Des Moines North.

Zambrano was voted to the all-Alliance North first team for the third year in a row after leading the league in goals (6), assists (7), points (19) and shots (20) in conference games. He ranked fourth in all of Class 4A in assists (14), sixth in points (46) and eighth in goals (16), and accumulated 47 goals and 26 assists in his four-year career.

Marshalltown senior goalkeeper Jonathan Nunez and senior defender Jesus Maravilla Ordaz both were promoted from the all-conference second team to take first-team honors for the first time. Maravilla Ordaz was a key contributor on the defensive line that helped protect Nunez, who finished the season ranking fifth in 4A with 125 saves.

Junior midfielder Andres Ordaz Zambrano also gained a promotion from second-team honors a year ago after ranking second in the conference in assists (3) and third in goals (5) and points (13). In all games, he ranked third in 4A with 16 assists, seventh in points (44) and 11th in goals (14).

Junior forward Angel Gomez got his first all-conference honor after racking up four goals in league action. HIs 12 goals in all games ranked 15th in 4A.

Sophomore Gavin Misek made the first team as a utility selection after playing all three levels for the Bobcats this spring. A second-team pick as a freshman, Misek was one of only two sophomores on the first team after scoring 11 goals and 24 points overall this season. His 31.4 shot percentage ranked fifth in 4A, getting his 11 goals on just 35 shot attempts.

Marshalltown also had a pair of second-team all-conference honorees in senior forward Armando Estrada and junior defender Aidan Bell. Senior midfielder Angel Chavez Ordaz and freshman midfielder Damien Segovia were honorable mention selections — the first league honors for all four Bobcats.

Marshalltown finished second in the Alliance North with a 3-1 record, falling only to league champion Ames in a 2-1 contest. The Bobcat offense ranked second among 36 Class 4A teams with 67 goals scored, fourth with 190 shots on goal, fifth with 340 shots and fourth with a 35.3 shots on goal percentage.

Defensively, MHS was third with 143 saves and fifth with an 83.6 save percentage.