Soccer standout Grady Eckart accomplishes career-long goal

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

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JAMESTOWN — In early August, Grady Eckart wrote a couple of things down on a piece of paper.

"Coach (Brandi) Harty started a tradition in the program of writing down a personal and team goal at the beginning of the season," Eckart said. "My personal goals were to earn 15 points through either goals or assists and to make the All-State (team)."

Check and check. — Eckart, a senior for the Jamestown High School boys soccer team, was named to the 2026 Boys Soccer All-State, First-Team roster last week. The Blue Jay senior was notified of the honor on Oct. 13 by Harty.

"I was super excited and a little shocked to make the First-Team, but I told my parents right away and celebrated with them," Eckart said. "I feel like my biggest accomplishment of the season was getting named First-Team All-State because it was a recognition of the work that I have put in to get to the skill level that I am at now."

This season is Eckart's first time being named to the All-State team.

"Grady has been progressing each year into an all-around solid player," Harty said. "His drive and commitment to soccer have shown other teams around the state how dangerous and special he was this season. It was incredible to watch him lead our team on the field. I am very happy that he received this recognition."

There are 12 players from the Eastern Dakota Conference and 12 players from the Western Dakota Association that get named to the All-State team.

"That shows that it really is the top players in the state that get this award," Eckart said. "To get named to this team takes consistency because you have to perform throughout the whole season. ... A few good games don’t get you recognized. A big part of getting the award is your stats because they are hard to argue with. Going into the season, I knew that I had a big role to fill in the team, so going into every game I tried to either put the ball in the back of the net myself or set my teammates up to score."

John M. Steiner / The Jamestown Sun

The senior scored seven goals and notched four assists for a total of 18 points this season. Eckart played in 10 of the Jays' 16 games.

"The individual awards were always a goal of mine," Eckart said. "I wanted to be All-State and score a bunch of goals, but my main goal for the season was to try and make it to the state tournament with the team over anything."

Eckart and the Jays finished the year at 3-10-3 overall, missing the state tournament, but the team pulled together to accomplish another of Eckart's team goals.

"For my team goals, I wrote down that I wanted to beat (Bismarck) Legacy," Eckart said. "We weren’t able to make it to State, but we did beat Legacy, so overall I think I was able to achieve my goals for the season."

The Jays beat Legacy 2-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 15, then tied the Sabers 1-1 two weeks later.

While beating one of the Jays WDA rivals was on his list of goals, the 2026 season wasn't only about getting wins for Eckart. The senior said he was mainly focused on making the most of his last season by cherishing all the moments and having fun.

"The guys really blew my expectations with how much everyone was able to grow and have fun, which made every moment of my final season very enjoyable," Eckart said. "We had a lot of younger guys step up and make a name for themselves, which makes me excited to see where they go. A lot of returners were able to find their place in the team and help us out in a lot of areas. Lastly, I was very impressed with every senior who gave it their all and how we were able to come together to get some business done this season."

Eckart has been on the Jamestown varsity roster since his freshman season. The Blue Jays have posted a 40-25-7 record since he has been on the team. He played in the state tournament in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

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"I love getting to play for Jamestown because it’s more than just a sport that I play, I get to be a part of a family of amazing people that I can have fun with on the field and off the field, as well as have them push me to be my best," Eckart said. "Jamestown is not a very big town, but there are people here who I’ve grown up playing soccer with, and that just helps you make a bond that stretches past soccer. There are also so many amazing people like Coach Harty who care about their players so much, and that is what makes playing soccer in Jamestown so great.

"I looked up to so many players on the 2023-24 soccer team, and it was the best soccer experience that I have had," he said. "Getting to play with phenomenal players like Brady Harty, Iddi Rhamadhani and have fun with players like Jake Anderson and Gabe Halko made the season memorable. That team inspired me and continues to inspire me to play soccer and enjoy the people you meet along with it."

Eckart plays soccer all year round. This summer was Eckart's third time attending the regional Olympic Development Program camp in Rockford. Illinois. During the winter and spring months, Eckart will continue to play and practice soccer wherever he can. Eckart is set to play in tournaments in Kansas City, Orlando, and Phoenix in the coming months. His plan is to play soccer in college but he is still undecided on where he wants to attend.

"A lot of people have the belief that soccer is just kicking a ball, but there is so much tactical depth that goes into everything," Eckart said. "You have to know where to pass, when to go forward or hold the ball up, (and) even staying mentally sharp for the full 80 minutes is fatiguing. One mistake can lead to losing the game.

"On top of that, there is the pressure to perform every game," he said. "This season I had big shoes to fill, which made every mistake feel much greater and every loss felt like I wasn’t doing enough for the team. Through all of the pressure I had to remember that I was playing the sport that I love, so I would go out there and have fun while playing and move on to the next play after making a mistake."

Harty said 2026 was a big year of growth for Eckart because, as a team captain and a senior, he had to step up and lead the team in multiple ways.

"I had to learn how to make an impact in games by creating a lot of chances for our team, and it was my final season before college, so I was able use it as an opportunity to get better technically as well as physically," Eckart said. ... "There were definitely some special moments this season like my game-tying goal with eight seconds left on the clock versus Minot North or my brace against Legacy at home but I think the biggest thing that got me the (All-State) accolade was just never giving up and playing with all I had until the final whistle."

• John M. Steiner / The Jamestown Sun
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Katie Ringer is a sports reporter for the Jamestown Sun. Katie joined the Sun staff in the summer of 2019 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire with a degree in journalism. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 701-952-8460.