Battle-tested Linn-Mar girls’ soccer team is showing its depth during bounce-back winning streak

The Linn-Mar girls’ soccer team certainly didn’t take the easy route to begin the 2023 season.

Class 3A No. 5 Linn-Mar (4-2) opened the season with back-to-back losses against No. 4 West Des Moines Valley and No. 1 Waukee Northwest.

“I’ve really been trying to get back on the schedule with Valley because a few years back we actually used to go out there and play a couple Des Moines schools, so we would be kind of battle-tested if you will,” Linn-Mar Coach Marco De Leon said. “It was the best thing that could happen to us was to play two of the top teams in the state.

“Despite having lost both of those games, we left there really believing in ourselves. We knew that we were a team that could definitely contend.”

The Lions (4-2) proved that they’re one of the top area teams on Tuesday night as they cooled down a hot Cedar Rapids Prairie (3-2) team that had won three straight.

Linn-Mar senior Athena Sheets accounted for half of the team’s goals in an 8-0 victory.

“It was amazing just knowing that my team and I were able to connect like that,” Sheets said. “It was the same exact thing that we’ve been working on in practice. Thanks to Coach, who’s always working with us on what to do with the patterns. That’s what created those goals.”

Two of Sheets’ four goals came within an 87-second span.

Linn-Mar sophomore McKenna Friedman found Sheets open for a goal with 22:55 left in the first half. Then, with 21:28 to go, Sheets saw another hole in the defense and connected.

“That was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Sheets said. “It was amazing that I was able to do it. McKenna was playing awesome in order for me to even be able to score those. I couldn’t have done it without the team.”

Friedman, Abi Roberts (two) and Caryss Muckler also added goals for Linn-Mar. Muckler’s goal was her first of the season.

Through six games, 10 Lions have scored at least one goal.

“I think more of why so many different players have scored really shows the selflessness of our team,” De Leon said. “They’re just really looking out for one another. They’re not just trying to get on the scoreboard.

“They’re just trying to play the smart pass or that extra pass that makes sense to make the team win as opposed to worrying about themselves individually.”

The selflessness and depth are needed after Linn-Mar lost last season’s top goal scorer, Sofia Bush. After enrolling early at the University of Iowa, Bush will not play for the Lions this spring.

“It’s one of those things where she’s a heck of a player,” De Leon said. “Obviously, not having someone like that definitely hurts you, but I do feel like this team right now is very deep, very talented and we believe in ourselves.

“We just really believe in ourselves. We feel good about what we have and where we can go.”

“We’re for sure a deep team,” Sheets said. “That’s really proving in the games right now.”

The Lions will host 2A No. 6 Cedar Rapids Xavier on Thursday, while Prairie travels to Iowa City West.