I.C. West boys soccer eyes a turning point with win over C.R. Xavier

IOWA CITY - It was throwback Thursday for the Iowa City West boys' soccer team. Not only did West play with more customary skill and effort in a 2-1 victory over Cedar Rapids Xavier last night, the Trojans went back to some possession tactics that looked like the West of 10 years ago.

'We're hoping this game is going to be the turning point in our season,” senior Ted Paulsen said.

The defending Class 3A champs (3-4, 5-5) have frankly struggled this season and were coming off a 5-2 loss at Linn-Mar.

'We were able to connect a lot more passes,” West Coach Brad Stiles said. 'And kudos to the goalkeepers. We had a little powwow with them this week, and they made some big plays for us. It doesn't have to be pretty sometimes, but we got a win and that's what we need.”

West forward Antonio Sanchez scored a serpentine goal in the 16th minute, weaving in and out of traffic, for a 1-0 lead.

'I kept on with the ball adding fakes like I was going to pass it back or cross it and then sprinted forward,” Sanchez said. 'When Ted was screaming to drop it and I fake dropped it and kept going forward I think I got them there.”

Xavier's Lukas Koechner got the equalizer on a header off a free kick from the midway line with 1:28 left in the half. But Paulsen scored off a corner kick just 36 seconds later to snatch back the momentum.

'I was at the back post and Jackson Nasby couldn't get much on it, but he got his hip or his thigh on it and it bounced right in front of me,” Paulsen said. 'I just stuck out a toe and knocked it in.”

What was different for the Trojans?

'The effort and not wanting to lose,” Sanchez said.

Xavier (5-2, 6-2) was right there with West.

'(The Trojans) were more focused from the matches I've watched them play,” Xavier Coach Amir Hadzic said. 'We gave up two goals on two mistakes.”