Sports : Viking goalie among state leaders -- in just his sixth week of playing soccer

Logan Davis vs. Trevor Moyer of Vinton: Viking Goalie prepares to defend the goal.

Logan Davis kept the score tied with this diving stop with 8 seconds in regulation vs. Marion.

Davis earns a save, catching a Marion corner kick in front of the goal.

Goalie Logan Davis leads the Viking soccer team in its cheers before each half.

Just 40 days ago, Logan Davis put on the gloves and stood guard over a soccer net for the very first time.

The Viking junior had never played soccer his entire life until deciding this spring to try out for the Viking soccer team, which began just last year.

Already, Davis is among the leaders in Class 2A goalies. Going into Tuesday's game against West Delaware, he was second in the WaMaC West and fourth among Class 2A goalies in all of Iowa, with 117 saves in 13 games.

Defense is one of the reasons that the Vikings (4-8) have won twice as many games as last year's inaugural team.

In 2012, opponents scored 47 goals in 14 games, an average of 3.35 goals per game. This year, Davis and his defensive teammates have cut that average to by one goal per game to 2.35 goals per game, giving up 33 goals in 14 games.

Davis said teammate Sam Martin first suggested that he consider joining the soccer team.

"We lost a lot of seniors after last year, and Sam thought that because of my size, I could be goalie," said Davis.

Soccer is even more fun than he expected, said Davis, who said he has only considered playing goalie but at times has dreamed of playing other positions.

As goalie, Davis also has become a team leader, both on the field and in the pre-game cheers.

"I found out that that's what the goalies do," he said of the ritual in which the players form a circle around him before the beginning of each half.

"And I am the loudest one on the team, so it works out," he said.

Davis said he does indeed plan to play soccer for the Vikings again next year.