West gets revenge for last season, handing Prairie first loss

CEDAR RAPIDS — A year ago Cedar Rapids Prairie made a statement confirming its arrival among the state's best teams by becoming the first to defeat then-defending state champ Iowa City West at 3-year-old Barker Field. It was the kind of victory that propels teams to the state tournament.

It was also the kind of defeat that sticks in your craw when you have the pedigree of an Iowa City West.

'They had our attention this go-round,' West Coach Brad Stiles said.

The Trojans are not the same team they were during a disappointing 2015 and they showed it by beating the Prairie Hawks, 3-0, Monday night at John Wall Field. The victory left the third-ranked Trojans unbeaten (7-0, 4-0) atop the Valley Division of the MVC. The fourth-ranked Hawks (5-1, 3-1) slipped a game behind City High in the Mississippi Division.

West dominated possession (12-1 advantage in shots on goal), and when it attacked it went forward with numbers. Prairie's defense held until the 36th minute when Antonio Sanchez scalded a shot through the defense from 23 yards out.

'Out wide there was a bunch of space,' Sanchez said. 'Brad told me to go out wide. He said keep going at the outside back so every time I got the ball I'd just go off the outside back. Once I saw an opening I cut in, faked a shot and then I took a shot.'

The Trojans added a second goal in the 43rd minute after touching the feet of several players before Nicholas Pitcher put it in the net.

'It kind of bounced back and ricocheted and then it was there for me to get a shot off, get a one touch, and then Pitcher was there to clean it up,' senior Alex Infelt said.

The final goal came in the last minute on a free kick from Alex Andersen.

Prairie attacked with two or three speedy players and at times got behind the defense. But West had an uncanny ability to get back into the play and spoil the chance.

'Our plan is to cover our teammates,' Infelt said. 'You drop off if someone tries to get the ball and you just hustle back.'