Linn-Mar slays unbeaten Dragons in state soccer semifinals

DES MOINES - It might have seemed like an indelicate thing to say but the Linn-Mar's boys' soccer team really wanted to play top-ranked and unbeaten Johnston in the semifinals of the state tournament.

It was more than mere bravado as the Lions took out the Dragons 2-1 on Friday to advance to Saturday's 5 p.m. championship against No. 2 Ankeny Centennial (20-1).

'It's crazy because last year we lost to them 1-0 (in the semifinals),” Linn-Mar sophomore Leroy Enzugusi said. 'We wanted the Dragons. We wanted to slay those Dragons, and we did it. Now we're going to the finals. I don't know who we play, but I can't wait. I'm so excited.”

It took a total team effort. Johnston grabbed an early lead on Jack Dreyer's goal in the 12th minute, but the Lions struck back in the 19th minute when defender Jack Ramsey headed in a corner.

'It was a great service by Jared Slagle and my main goal was just to stand in front of the keeper because I'm not very good in the air usually,” Ramsey said. 'So I decided to block the keeper. Came right to me and I tried to flick it to the back post, and it worked out.

'We've panicked at times; today we didn't,” Linn-Mar coach Corey Brinkmeyer said. 'We took a breath. We've been scored on first before, but certainly to get the equalizer put us at ease and we finished off the half really well.”

Johnston (19-1) missed a great chance in the first minute of the second half when Cade Wegner's point-blank shot went wide. But the real crucial play came in the 58th minute after a hand ball in the box forced a penalty kick. Lions' goalie Phil Adams made a diving stop of Tristan Coaldrake's shot.

'You just have to make the shooter think you know exactly where he's going,” Adams said. 'I guessed right. For the most part you just have to pick a side and commit. It worked.”

'It was incredible,” Ramsey said. 'I could have kissed him after that. It was amazing. It really gave us the momentum to keep going, and I think that's what fired up the whole team to get the win.”

Given the reprieve, Linn-Mar's speed took over.

'Daniel (Luzindya) had the ball on the outside,” Enzugusi said. 'He had two guys on him. He took them on. I was screaming for the ball, and he found me. The ball couldn't have been better, so I got an easy goal.”

Enzugusi jumped for joy.

'There was so much adrenaline going in me. I was so excited,” he said.

Linn-Mar (19-3) had to protect its 2-1 lead for nearly 20 minutes, and Johnston made the Lions' defense work.

'We're really good friends and every time they kept coming at us we wanted the new challenge and we wanted to stay strong and make it to the state final, and we did,” Ramsey said.