Lots of rematches await in boys soccer playoffs

Soccer playoffs can be the Russian roulette of prep postseasons. In the first place, soccer is a game in which scoring is difficult and rare and even outmanned teams can gum up the box with the hope of reaching overtime and penalty kicks.

The playoffs also inevitably involve rematches because of the geographical component of scheduling. This year's pairings not only have rematches but rematches of games that were played just a week ago.

Linn-Mar (15-3) could face Washington (8-8) in the substate final after the Lions defeated the Warriors 3-1 last Thursday in the final MVC game of the season.

'We've been in a similar situation before on the other side of things,' Lions Coach Corey Brinkmeyer said. 'Last year at state we had lost to City High but got them in the first round. I think we kind of caught them off guard and really played a different game against them than we did the first time around.'

Brinkmeyer expects both teams to tinker with alignments and personnel even though they played just nine days earlier.

'It will be fresh in their minds. We know (the Warriors) will be motivated,' he said. 'We heard it right after the game from their players. If we end up in that game it should be a great matchup.'

Iowa City High (14-3) and Iowa City West (11-7) may play again in a substate final 12 days after City's overtime victory. Marion plays host to Maquoketa after having beaten the Cardinals 4-1 on May 19.

On the other hand, Prairie (12-3) has a substate full of teams from the Mississippi Athletic Conference, none of which were on the Hawks' schedule.

Xavier (12-2) is also playing unfamiliar teams, but teams that played in less competitive conferences. And the 2A second-ranked Saints are playing well, having won all six of their games in May.

'This season we've grown a lot in the midfield,' Luke Koechner said. 'We've developed over time and made sure we're not just playing the direct ball we're also playing through the middle and through the outside.

'I think we're finally playing to our potential. We had a couple tough losses to the Iowa City schools. I think we've rebounded from those and come back even stronger.'