Iowa high school boys’ state soccer 2021: A closer look at the tournament

After a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Iowa high school boys’ state soccer tournament returns to Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines this week.

Let’s take a closer look at the field.

Class 3A

Ankeny Centennial threw this tournament wide-open when it stopped defending champion Waukee’s winning streak at 46 in PKs in the substate finals. That made Iowa City West the top seed here. The Trojans and West Des Moines Valley are making their state-record 21st appearance. West is seeking to add to its all-time best nine state titles, the most recent coming in 2017. The Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division champs’ only loss this season was in overtime at Valley Division champion Cedar Rapids Prairie. The Hawks are attempting to earn their first victory in state tournament play against state tournament newcomer Pleasant Valley, the Mississippi Athletic Conference winner. Cedar Falls, at state for the first time since 2009, gives the MVC a third 3A qualifier (four total with Xavier in 2A). The CIML also has three 3A representatives, with Johnston joining Centennial and Valley. While the Jaguars knocked out Waukee, Sioux City West eliminated reigning 2A champion Lewis Central, now in 3A, by rallying from 3-1 down in the final three minutes and winning in 2OT.

Top goal scorers

1. Truman Unruh (Cedar Falls) 34

2. Jaren Obia (West Des Moines Valley) 33

3. Wilmont Manneh (Johnston) 22

4. Andrew Heckenlaible (Ankeny Centennial) 17

5. Kolby Godbolt (Iowa City West) 16

Tuesday’s state quarterfinal games

No. 3 Iowa City West (18-1) vs. No. 11 Sioux City West (15-2), 5 p.m.

No. 4 West Des Moines Valley (16-4) vs. No. 6 Ankeny Centennial (14-4), 5:10 p.m.

No. 2 Cedar Rapids Prairie (15-2) vs. No. 5 Pleasant Valley (17-3), 5:20 p.m.

No. 7 Johnston (15-3) vs. No. 10 Cedar Falls (19-3), 5:30 p.m.

Class 2A

Cedar Rapids Xavier, the 2019 2A runner-up, has been ranked No. 1 all season. Its five losses are against 3A teams, three of them ranked. The Saints face Metro rival Marion in the quarterfinals, a No. 5 substate seed that won three road games to get here and has won nine in a row overall. Waverly-Shell Rock pulled perhaps even more of a stunner, taking down No. 2-ranked, unbeaten Wamac champion Vinton-Shellsburg, 4-1, in the substate finals. The Go-Hawks now face Little Hawkeye Conference champion Dallas Center-Grimes in the first round. That league has a pair of qualifiers, with Pella advancing by beating Fort Madison in PKs. The Raccoon River Conference also counts two teams in the 2A field: Bondurant-Farrar and Adel ADM. Watch out for No. 11-ranked Sergeant Bluff-Luton, which hasn’t lost to a 2A team this season and beat No. 5 Spencer and No. 7 Storm Lake to get here.

Top goal scorers

1. Jeramie Poudrier (Waverly-Shell Rock) 39

2. Oskar White (Bondurant-Farrar) 26

3. Kendall Bickford (Dallas Center-Grimes) 21

4. Brady Schaap (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) 20

T-5. Caleb Gymer (Bondurant-Farrar) 19

T-5. Levi Murphy (Marion) 19

T-5. Isaac Semini (Pella) 19

Tuesday’s state quarterfinal games

No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier (12-5) vs. Marion (12-6), 2:30 p.m.

No. 4 Pella (15-4) vs. No. 10 Adel ADM (14-4), 2:40 p.m.

No. 6 Bondurant-Farrar (16-3) vs. No. 11 Sergeant Bluff-Luton (16-3), 2:50 p.m.

No. 3 Dallas Center-Grimes (16-3) vs. Waverly-Shell Rock (13-6), 3 p.m.

Class 1A

Iowa City Regina is attempting to win its fourth straight and ninth overall state championship, but this team has a lot of new faces and needed a shootout to beat Solon in the substate finals. This is Regina’s 13th consecutive state tournament appearance. The No. 1-ranked team this year is Burlington Notre Dame/West Burlington, making its state debut. The Nikes’ only loss came in OT to 3A North Scott. They have wins over two teams in this field: Regina and quarterfinal opponent Waterloo Columbus. Dyersville Beckman was ranked No. 2, but fell short of state thanks to 12th-ranked North Fayette Valley, playing just its second varsity season. The TigerHawks’ quarterfinal opponent is also mostly unfamiliar to this stage. Western Christian is making its second state tournament appearance and first since 2009. Greene County, meanwhile, was a newcomer in 2019 and back for more this year after falling to Regina by just 2-1 in the quarterfinals. West Liberty finished fourth in that tournament and features the 1A tournament’s top two scorers this season. Council Bluffs St. Albert has the second-most appearances of this year’s qualifiers with 10, behind Regina’s 14.

Top goal scorers

1. Jahsiah Galvan (West Liberty) 36

2. Juan Mateo (West Liberty) 33

3. Sam Brueck (Burlington Notre Dame/West Burlington) 32

4. Sam Nefzger (North Fayette Valley) 30

T-5. Alec Wick (Iowa City Regina) 29

T-5. Brayden Shepard (Council Bluffs St. Albert) 29

Tuesday’s state quarterfinal games

No. 1 Burlington Notre Dame/West Burlington (20-1) vs. No. 7 Waterloo Columbus (12-8), noon

No. 3 Iowa City Regina (11-7) vs. No. 12 Greene County (14-6), 12:10 p.m.

No. 5 West Liberty (15-3) vs. No. 6 Council Bluffs St. Albert (14-6), 12:20 p.m.

No. 10 Western Christian (14-1) vs. No. 12 North Fayette Valley (14-4), 12:30 p.m.