Early test sharpened City High boys’ soccer Hawks’ focus

IOWA CITY - City High expected to open the season with a statement.

Instead, it got a wake-up call.

The Little Hawks boys’ soccer team, a Class 4A state quarterfinalist in 2024, kicked off the season at home against Ottumwa on March 31.

It wasn’t the debut they’d envisioned.

“I think it was a matter of hunger — starting hungry from minute one,” senior Jackson Nichols-Lindsey said. “We started slow against Ottumwa, and that really messed us up. We let them score early and we gave them the confidence to do that.”

The game ended in a 3-3 draw. But the result brought clarity.

“We know we’re one of the best teams in the state, but we didn’t play like that,” Coach Jose Michel Fajardo said. “We allowed too many mistakes. We thought it was going to be an easy game… but it was a wake-up call.”

City High (1-0-1) responded with purpose Saturday, defeating Linn-Mar (1-1), 3-1, on Day 2 of the Trojan Classic at Ed Barker Field.

“Today we looked like a team who can contend to win a state championship,” Fajardo said. “The other day was not like that, so I think the guys decided that is wasn’t going to happen again.”

The Lions struck first as Brayden Fish found the net in the 18th minute.

From there, it was all Little Hawks.

Wagdi Darya found space in the Linn-Mar defense and punched in the equalizer with 12:21 remaining in the first half.

“I felt butterflies,” Darya said. “I was happy to step and up score the first goal for us.”

It was Darya’s first goal at City High.

The match stayed level until Nichols-Lindsey headed in a corner kick from Alex Chappell with 20:29 left.

“We’ve got a couple new set plays done by Jose,” Nichols-Lindsey said. “They work pretty well, and we managed to score off one. I was exactly where I was supposed to be, and he (Chappell) placed it exactly where it was supposed to go.”

Nichols-Lindsey earned first-team all-division honors in the Mississippi Valley Conference as a junior last season and was an all-state honorable mention.

“Linn-Mar, we battle it out year after year,” Nichols-Lindsey said. “It’s always great to beat a team like Linn-Mar.”

Tatum Born added an insurance goal with 15:40 to go.

“It’s something you always think of before a game,” Born said. “I just want to get a goal and celebrate with my teammates. Then it actually happens, it fills you with butterflies.”

The performance drew praise from Fajardo.

“Today, we connected as a team,” Fajardo said. “I’m super proud of the performance from minute one to minute 80.”

City High is without last year’s leading scorer, Taylor Salinas, who they expect back soon — but the Little Hawks aren’t sweating it.

They’ve got players ready to rise.

“This is a team that scores as a team,” Fajardo said. “A lot of things we do can come from anybody. We don’t have that guy who’s going to score 35 goals, but at the same time, watch out, because anybody can score.”

Next up for the Little Hawks is a home match against Iowa City Liberty (2-0) on A[ril 15.

“I think we have a great team and a great bond,” Born said. “I’m expecting us to do well this year. We want to get back to being a team that plays at state every year.”