Siouxland soccer teams bring all-out effort as state tournament gets underway

DES MOINES, Iowa (KTIV) - Day one of the Iowa high school state soccer tournament was underway with three Siouxland boys teams in action, and it was an all-out effort as the quest for a state title begins.

Kicking off the day on the pitch was Class 1A with the Western Christian Wolfpack back for their third consecutive year. The 2022 Runner ups would face #7 Treynor. And it didn’t take long, just about 10 minutes into the game Kalen Hartbecke creates some space for the look and takes the lucky shot for the goal. Wolfpack set the tone early with a 1-0 lead.

Hartbecke was all over the ball. Later in the first half he would find Miles Baccam who fires off the textbook header but its right into the Treynor keeper as he holds on for the save.

Western Christian takes the win 1-0 to advance on to the semifinal where they’ll face Regina Iowa City at 10:10 a.m on Thursday.

“That was the first play of the game and it was just quick. And a lot was going through my head. I saw someone coming behind me, but I just thought this one is for my team. We’re a team that likes to score early and get our momentum because we’re a team based off morale and stuff like that so that was huge for our team,” said Kalen Hartbecke, Western Christian senior.

Over in Class 2A, the Bishop Heelan Crusaders were looking to make some noise back at state for the first time since 2016. They would go to battle with #7 Center Point-Urbana.

The Crusaders absolutely dominated possession in the first half. Heelan gets the cross field shot to Alejandro Suarez and he doesn’t miss a beat firing one off that bounces off the keeper and in for the goal. Heelan takes the 1-0 lead.

Just as the first half is about to end Bryan Rios gets the assist again this time to Jesse Castillo who gets the tap for the goal. Heelan heads into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

In the second half, Alejandro Suarez is awarded the penalty kick and he takes full advantage as he boots one in for another goal. He would go on to have a hat trick in this one getting another penalty kick goal later in the game.

Heelan dominates in this one taking the win 5-0. Next up for Bishop Heelan is facing Gilbert in the semifinals at 1:10 p.m. on Thursday.

“Uh you know, this is what we’ve been working for since my freshman year. You know soccer has always been overlooked at Heelan and we’re just trying to show that its a soccer school now. So we’re just trying to show that,” said Alejandro Suarez, Bishop Heelan senior.

Closing out the day in Class 3A was the Monarchs of Denison-Schleswig taking on Marion. The Monarchs are proud to be back at state for the first time since 2007. It would be a tough battle with undefeated Marion.

As time winds down in the first half, Marion’s Seth Morgan takes a shot that bounces but they get the rebound as Sawyer Udelhofen boots it in for the 2-0 lead. But the Monarchs kept knocking in the second half as Christopher Campos takes his chance at the open look and it bounces off the keepers glove.

But Campos wasn’t done yet. He gets a penalty kick late in the game. Marion’s keeper originally makes the save, but Campos is right there for the rebound firing it in for the goal. That’s the first goal Marion has allowed all season long.

It was 100% effort until the very end, but the Monarchs run ends here. 3-1 is the final score.

“This is something that, it’s not a failure. We got to the state tournament... the first time since 2007. But it’s a process and it’s something that’s not going to end,” said Nate Desy, Denison-Schleswig head coach.

The action continues Tuesday as the girls tournament gets underway.

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