Iowa girls’ state soccer 2023 first-round scores: Defending 2A champion DCG gets hyped

DES MOINES — After winning last year’s Class 2A girls’ state soccer championship, Dallas Center-Grimes wasn’t about to mess with tradition.

Sophomore Neela Williamson’s father, Ryan, strolled across Field 6 Wednesday at Cownie Soccer Park to deliver a pregame hype speech before the Mustangs’ Class 2A quarterfinal game.

“IT’S YOUR DAY,” he yelled, backed by Archie Eversole’s “We Ready” on a boom box.

Soon, the Mustangs (16-3) were leading No. 9 Marion, 4-0, less than eight minutes into the game. They cruised to Friday’s semifinals with a 10-0 victory over the short-handed Wolves.

“He’s just a hype man,” Northern Iowa commit Kylie Knief said. “We had him last year at state for a couple games so we thought we’d bring him back. It got us, as a team, really hyped up. It really gets us going.”

Knief had a hat trick and seven total DCG players scored. They’ll face No. 3 North Scott in Friday’s semifinals.

“We knew as a team, coming back as defending state champs, we just wanted to do it again together,” Knief said. “So we play as a team and if we play as a team we can do it.”

Here are the updated brackets for all three classes.

Wednesday’s girls’ state soccer scores

Class 1A quarterfinals

No. 1 Des Moines Christian 2, No. 10 Hudson 0

No. 4 Gilbert 2, No. 5 Underwood 0

No. 7 Sioux City Heelan 1, No. 2 Nevada 0

No. 3 Davenport Assumption 2, No. 6 Van Meter 0

Class 2A quarterfinals

No. 1 Waverly-Shell Rock 4, No. 11 North Polk 1

No. 4 Pella 1, No. 6 Adel ADM 0

No. 2 Dallas Center-Grimes 10, No. 9 Marion 0

No. 3 North Scott 3, No. 7 Spencer 0

Class 3A quarterfinals

No. 1 Waukee Northwest 2, No. 8 Ankeny Centennial 0

No. 4 West Des Moines Valley 2, No. 5 Pleasant Valley 0

No. 7 West Des Moines Dowling 1, No. 2 Ankeny 0

No. 3 Johnston 5, No. 6 Linn-Mar 0

Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com