Bishop Heelan girls advance to Class 1A state championship game aiming for program’s second state title

DES MOINES, Iowa (KTIV) - The Bishop Heelan girls might have been the seven seed, but that didn’t matter at all as they walked onto the field with all the confidence in the world.

The Crusaders faced the 11-time state champions in Davenport Assumption. But the Crusaders have a special motto to live by in key moments like this: “Play like a champion today.” That’s exactly what was shown on the field.

In the first half, Jada Newberg gets up field and boots one across to Trelyn White right in front of the net and she will not be stopped finding the back of the net for the 1-nil Heelan lead.

Just a few minutes later, Reese Bleeker sees Lauryn Peck, and she fires one off at the angle right into the top right corner of the net. And just like that Heelan takes the 2-nil lead.

Just 3:30 left in the first half, Heelan gets the corner kick here launching this one into perfect position and Lauryn Peck is right there to send it home for her second goal of the day. Heelan went into halftime in a great spot with a 3-0 lead. Head coach Shawn Mansfield was reminding his team to keep winning the battle.

And that they do, in the second half Trelyn White gets the penalty kick that bounces in off the keeper’s hands for a 4-0 lead. Davenport Assumption would get on the board late in the game with a penalty kick goal of their own making it 4-1.

But Bishop Heelan goes on to knock off #3 Davenport Assumption 4-1 to advance to the 1A championship game.

“Kinda unreal honestly. I mean I’ve been playing soccer for so long, and to finally play the game to go to state my senior year. It’s like what I’ve been working for my whole life, and it’s kind of a dream come true honestly,” said Lauryn Peck, Bishop Heelan senior.

Peck gets the honor of advancing her team on the bracket. Heelan won one state title in 2015, and now their quest for their second state title will run through the #4 Gilbert Tigers. The Crusaders know that winning a state title will come from every player stepping up.

”It’s going to take everything that we’ve got. It’s going to take everybody on our team to play together. Our group is one unit. They play like one unit, they play hard for each other, and that’s what it’s going to take. Everybody to do everything all the time,” said coach Mansfield.

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