Center Point-Urbana gives Davenport Assumption rare close girls’ state soccer quarterfinal game

DES MOINES — In a half-decade of Davenport Assumption domination at the Class 1A girls’ state soccer tournament, many a first-round opponent has been quickly overmatched.

Top-ranked Assumption very well may make it six consecutive state titles later this week, but it won’t begin with a first-round rout. No. 10 Center Point-Urbana didn’t follow the typical script, seeing its season end Tuesday at Cownie Soccer Park with just a 1-0 loss in a 1A quarterfinal game.

“I think that we came here to play and I think Davenport Assumption came here thinking that they were going to steamroll over us,” said Jaye Brooker, a CPU senior outside back and co-captain. “I think we kind of showed that we deserved to be here.”

» Photos: Davenport Assumption vs. Center Point-Urbana in girls’ state soccer quarterfinals

Assumption’s previous five quarterfinals were certainly steamrolls. Scores: 7-0, 9-0, 8-0, 10-0, 4-0. And yet, the Stormin’ Pointers “were very confident,” CPU Coach Kevin Schmidt said.

“That’s one thing that I told the girls before we even started,” he said. “They’re not gonna expect us. No one is gonna expect us.

“We earned our way here. We deserved to be here and I just told them that if we play how we have been playing, we will be very competitive and hang with them, if not even getting ahead and having that opportunity to win. I think we were in that kind of place, just unfortunate we couldn’t get enough momentum toward their goal to have those great opportunities.”

The Knights (15-4) still had huge advantages in shots and chances, but the Stormin’ Pointers (15-4) didn’t give up anything easy.

Jade Jackson scored the lone goal on a shot from the top of the box that struck the net under the crossbar. Otherwise, goalkeeper Emerson Fleming made a handful of terrific saves and CPU didn’t allow Assumption to relax.

“I think we played really, really well,” Schmidt said. “There were a couple opportunities in there where we weren’t quite spaced how we should be or how we normally are but the girls did a great job of containing the big threats that Assumption has, keeping them away from our goal as best we could and then still trying and maintaining — I know we didn’t have great looks at their goal — but we were able to at least produce a couple chances.”

Freshman Emily Bowe, CPU’s leading scorer, came up with the team’s best look in the second half. Taking advantage of a little space, she fired a shot just wide of the goal in the 71st minute.

CPU gave up more than one goal in just one game this season, its opener against Independence. Brooker is one of only three starters graduating from a program that has been to state five times in the last six seasons.

“Hopefully (CPU) will come back next year,” Brooker said, “just hopefully not as an 8-seed.”

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