Fifth-ranked Bobcats face state-savvy Warriors
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- T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE – Marshalltown boys soccer players Pah Dah Bu (1) and Jack Play (2) join teammates in sprinting onto the field in celebration of what they thought was a 3-2 shootout victory over Southeast Polk. The team was sent back to the sideline as the shootout continued, only to return after an eventual 6-5 triumph.
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- T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE – The Marshalltown boys soccer team poses with its Class 3A state soccer qualifier banner, the program’s first since 2001 and just the fourth in school history, after defeating Southeast Polk 3-2 thanks to a 6-5 shootout victory on Saturday in Pleasant Hill. The No. 5 Bobcats advance to face No. 11 Cedar Rapids Washington on Thursday at the James W. Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines.
T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - Marshalltown boys soccer players Pah Dah Bu (1) and Jack Play (2) join teammates in sprinting onto the field in celebration of what they thought was a 3-2 shootout victory over Southeast Polk. The team was sent back to the sideline as the shootout continued, only to return after an eventual 6-5 triumph.
The underdog has a decided advantage in experience at this stage in the game. The higher seed hasn’t been to state since before most of its players were born.
Their two worlds will collide today in the first round of the Iowa High School Boys State Soccer Tournament in Des Moines.
Fifth-ranked Marshalltown (16-2) is seeded third for the Class 3A bracket while perennial state qualifier Cedar Rapids Washington (13-5) is ranked 11th and seeded sixth heading into their pairing in today’s 5:10 p.m. state quarterfinal on Field 7 at James W. Cownie Soccer Park.
The Warriors have 10 previous state tournament appearances to their credit, the last resulting in a fourth-place finish in 2016. Washington has now qualified for the 3A field six times this decade and is 8-12 all-time in state tournament games, but hasn’t reached the finals.
Marshalltown, in three prior trips to state, has never advanced past the first round. The last try for the Bobcats came in back-to-back showings in 2000 and 2001.
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“It means a lot to get to state,” Marshalltown junior goalkeeper Jesus Munoz said after Saturday’s substate final against Southeast Polk. “It’s an amazing feeling, I’ve never had this feeling before, I’m just so happy. We haven’t been there since 2001.”
Most of the MHS lineup probably wasn’t alive for that, aside from maybe some of its nine seniors.
“It’s just a crazy feeling,” said MHS junior midfielder Austin Shomo. “At the start of the season I don’t think any of us expected to be in this situation, and to get here, I can’t even describe it.”
The Bobcats dropped their season-opener, a road game against Urbandale, by a 3-0 final score. The sixth-ranked J-Hawks (14-5) also made the state tournament as the fifth seed, and their victory over Marshalltown to start the year was anything but an ominous beginning for the Bobcats.
Marshalltown rattled off 13-consecutive wins before falling to top-ranked Waukee (19-0), the top seeds and the only remaining unbeaten team in the entire state. The Bobcats rebounded to beat a ranked team from Ames, previously ranked Johnston in the substate semifinals and a spry opponent in Southeast Polk to clinch their state tournament berth.
T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - The Marshalltown boys soccer team poses with its Class 3A state soccer qualifier banner, the program’s first since 2001 and just the fourth in school history, after defeating Southeast Polk 3-2 thanks to a 6-5 shootout victory on Saturday in Pleasant Hill. The No. 5 Bobcats advance to face No. 11 Cedar Rapids Washington on Thursday at the James W. Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines.
“They are just super-excited, which they should be, excited about the opportunity to represent the community,” MHS head coach Scott Johannes said of his squad.
Cedar Rapids Washington should provide an equally hearty challenge, as the Warriors are 5-5 all-time in first-round games at state.
Washington rides an eight-match losing streak into Des Moines on the strength of superstar senior forward Keaton Woods, who spent five months with the Real Salt Lake Development Academy in Utah in preparation for his plans to pursue a professional soccer career in Spain.
Woods returned from Utah in time for his senior year at Washington, where he missed the first seven matches because of injury, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, before returning for a road game at top-ranked Waukee.
It was a slow start for Woods, who didn’t score in three-straight losses. In the eight matches — and wins — since, Woods has scored a team-leading 19 goals. He tallied five in the Warriors’ 6-2 victory over No. 7 Iowa City High in their substate final, helping to deny the Little Hawks a ninth-straight trip to state.
“Obviously Keaton has his confidence back, which is huge,” Washington head coach J.P. Graham told the Gazette. “When he is on, he is on. We are going to keep feeding him balls and he is finally finishing the chances he is getting.
“Now he is on fire, so watch out.”
Not to be outdone is Marshalltown junior Jose Torres, who shares the 3A lead with 24 goals this season and is second in total points (24 goals, 6 assists) with 54.
Woods has scored on 54 percent of his shots on goal, according to quikstatsiowa.com, while Torres has tallied on 47 percent of his shots.
It might come down to which defense rises to the challenge, as Washington has allowed 15 goals in 18 games (.833 goals per game against) and Marshalltown has let in just 11 goals in 18 matches (.611 gpga). Munoz has made saves on 90.5 percent of the shots he’s faced (95-of-105), while Washington sophomore Will Bickel has rebuffed 34 of the 49 shots on net against him (69.4 percent).
Tonight’s winner will advance to the state semifinals on Saturday at 5:05 p.m. on Field 6 against either No. 2 Iowa City West (16-1) or No. 10 Ankeny (12-5).
NOTEBOOK
Due to limited bleacher seating for Marshalltown’s quarterfinal game against Cedar Rapids Washington on Field 7, fans are advised to bring their own lawn chairs to the match.
Iowa Boys High School State Soccer Tournament
At Cownie Soccer Park, Des Moines
CLASS 1A
Quarterfinals
Friday, May 31
No. 1 North Polk (14-3) vs. No. 8 West Liberty (10-7), Noon (Field 7)
No. 4 Iowa City Regina (15-6) vs. No. 5 Greene County (14-5), 12:05 p.m. (Field 8)
No. 3 Sioux Center (13-4) vs. No. 6 Iowa Mennonite (12-4), 12:10 p.m. (Field 7)
No. 2 Waterloo Columbus (18-2) vs. No. 7 Center Point-Urbana (12-8), 12:15 p.m. (Field 6)
Semifinals
Saturday, June 1
North Polk or West Liberty vs. Iowa City Regina or Greene County, Noon (F9)
Sioux Center or Iowa Mennonite vs. Waterloo Columbus or Center Point-Urbana, 12:05 p.m. (F6)
Tuesday, June 4
Third Place
Semifinal losers, 11:10 a.m. (F6)
Championship
Semifinal winners, Noon (F9)
CLASS 2A
Quarterfinals
Friday, May 31
No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier (14-2) vs. No. 8 Knoxville (14-4), 2:30 p.m. (F9)
No. 4 Dallas Center-Grimes (14-4) vs. No. 5 Gilbert (18-2), 2:35 p.m. (F8)
No. 2 Dubuque Wahlert (12-5) vs. No. 7 Hudson United (18-2), 2:40 p.m. (F6)
No. 3 Lewis Central (17-3) vs. No. 6 Storm Lake (16-1), 2:45 p.m. (F7)
Semifinals
Saturday, June 1
Cedar Rapids Xavier or Knoxville vs. Dallas Center-Grimes or Gilbert, 2:30 p.m. (F9)
Dubuque Wahlert or Hudson United vs. Lewis Central or Storm Lake, 2:35 p.m. (F6)
Tuesday, June 4
Third Place
Semifinal losers, 1:40 p.m. (F6)
Championship
Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m. (F9)
CLASS 3A
Quarterfinals
Friday, May 31
No. 1 Waukee (19-0) vs. No. 8 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (11-3), 5 p.m. (F9)
No. 4 Bettendorf (12-2) vs. No. 5 Urbandale (14-5), 5:05 p.m. (F8)
No. 3 Marshalltown (16-2) vs. No. 6 Cedar Rapids Washington (13-5), 5:10 p.m. (F7)
No. 2 Iowa City West (16-1) vs. No. 7 Ankeny (12-5), 5:15 p.m. (F6)
Semifinals
Saturday, June 1
Waukee or Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Bettendorf or Urbandale, 5 p.m. (F9)
Iowa City West or Ankeny vs. Marshalltown or Cedar Rapids Washington, 5:50 p.m. (F6)
Tuesday, June 4
Third Place
Semifinal losers, 4:10 p.m. (F6)
Championship
Semifinal winners, 5 p.m. (F9)
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