Iowa high school girls’ soccer regional finals: A look at Thursday’s games

Iowa high school girls’ soccer state tournament bids are on the line across the state with 24 regional finals set to be played Thursday night.

Here is a closer look at the games involving Gazette area teams in all three classes.

Class 3A girls’ soccer regional finals

No. 11 Iowa City High (12-3) at No. 4 Waukee Northwest (15-2)

Time and site: 6 p.m., at Waukee Northwest High School

How they got here: Northwest mercy-ruled Ottumwa, 10-0. City High scored six unanswered goals in a 6-1 win over No. 15 Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

State history: City High has been to state four times, the last in 2013. This is Northwest’s first year as a school.

Overview: City High has won eight straight games since a 4-3 start against the most difficult part of its schedule. The Little Hawks finished second behind Linn-Mar in the Mississippi Division of the Mississippi Valley Conference. Claire Brown ranks third in the MVC with 18 goals. Northwest’s only loss against an Iowa team came in penalties against Ankeny. Zoey Mahoney is fifth in 3A with 15 assists and also leads the Wolves with 12 goals.

No. 10 Muscatine (12-5) at No. 6 Linn-Mar (16-2)

Time and site: 6 p.m., at Linn-Mar Stadium

How they got here: Linn-Mar shut out Davenport North, 8-0, while Muscatine blanked Dubuque Hempstead, 7-0.

State history: Linn-Mar has qualified seven times, including six trips from 2010-2019. Muscatine made it last season for the third time and first since the city was the host in 2007.

Overview: Linn-Mar’s Sofia Bush is the MVC leader in assists (16) and is second with 25 goals, ranking third and fifth in 3A in those categories. Linn-Mar won the MVC Mississippi Division and is unbeaten against Iowa teams this season. That includes wins over Mississippi Athletic Conference powers Pleasant Valley, Bettendorf and Davenport Assumption. Muscatine tied for second in the MAC and beat both co-champions PV and Bettendorf (the Bulldogs in a non-conference tournament game). The Lions certainly won’t be overlooking the Muskies after a stunning 4-1 loss at home in last year’s regional finals.

Other Class 3A games

Sioux City West (10-7) at No. 2 Council Bluffs Lincoln (14-3), 6 p.m.

Ames (6-10) at No. 1 West Des Moines Valley (17-0), 4:30 p.m.

No. 14 Johnston (9-7) at No. 5 Ankeny Centennial (15-3), 6 p.m.

No. 12 Cedar Falls (13-3) at No. 3 Ankeny (16-1), 6 p.m.

No. 13 Des Moines Roosevelt (9-3) at No. 8 West Des Moines Dowling (11-5), 6 p.m.

No. 9 Bettendorf (12-4) at No. 7 Pleasant Valley (12-5), 6 p.m.

Class 2A girls’ soccer regional finals

No. 14 Independence (14-2) at No. 2 Waverly-Shell Rock (15-1)

Time and site: 6 p.m., at Waverly Soccer Complex

How they got here: Independence became the first team to score on Iowa Falls-Alden since April 19, putting two past the Cadets in a 2-1 win. W-SR handled Marion, 10-0.

State history: Waverly-Shell Rock won its first state championship last season in its 15th tournament trip. Independence is seeking its state debut.

Overview: Independence is set up to be in this position often in the coming years with eight freshmen in this year’s starting lineup. Freshman Addison Lange is third in 2A with 20 assists, while sophomore Easten Miller is fifth with 36 goals for the Wamac West-winning Mustangs. Kenzie Roling is now at Iowa after scoring 76 goals last spring, but the Go-Hawks are in championship contention again. They’ve won 15 straight games, their only defeat this season coming by a goal to top-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes.

Clear Creek-Amana (10-7) at No. 5 Cedar Rapids Xavier (11-3)

Time and site: 6 p.m., at Xavier High School

How they got here: CCA won a penalty shootout against Fort Madison, 4-3, after 100 minutes of scoreless soccer. Xavier shut out Cedar Rapids Washington, 7-0.

State history: Xavier has been to state 17 times, more than any current 2A program, and won 10 state titles, second to Davenport Assumption’s 11 for the most of any school. CCA has never been to state.

Overview: Xavier won the MVC Valley Division, its only losses against conference opponents coming against 3A regional finalists Linn-Mar and Iowa City High. Brielle Bastian leads the MVC and is tied for ninth in 2A with 33 goals. The Saints have 12 seniors on the roster, three of whom played in the 2019 state championship game they won. The Clippers got back to the regional finals for the second straight season despite losing eight starters from last year’s team.

No. 8 Mount Vernon (17-1) at No. 7 North Scott (11-5-1)

Time and site: 6 p.m., at North Scott High School

How they got here: Mount Vernon cruised past Burlington, 10-0. North Scott shut out Burlington Notre Dame, 3-0.

State history: North Scott is an eight-time qualifier and reached the quarterfinals last season. Mount Vernon is in the regional finals for the third straight season, seeking to take the next step to state for the first time.

Overview: Drake signee Maia Bentley has racked up more numbers for the Mustangs this season, leading 2A with 26 assists and ranking second with 43 goals. She surpassed 100 goals for her career earlier this season. Teammate Anna Hoffman is second in the class with 21 assists and has also scored 20 goals. The Mustangs started the season unranked but have won 17 straight games and claimed the Wamac East title. North Scott finished fifth against a 3A-heavy schedule in the MAC; it hasn’t lost to a 2A team this season.

Other Class 2A games

Le Mars (7-5) at No. 4 Spencer (14-3), 6 p.m.

No. 12 Adel ADM (10-7) at No. 6 Lewis Central (14-5), 6 p.m.

No. 10 North Polk (12-4) at No. 9 Bondurant-Farrar (13-4), 6 p.m.

No. 11 Carlisle (13-2) vs. No. 1 Dallas Center-Grimes (18-0) (at Johnston), 6 p.m.

No. 13 Pella (10-6) at No. 3 Norwalk (15-3), 6 p.m.

Class 1A girls’ soccer regional finals

No. 12 Hudson (11-2-1) at No. 10 Center Point-Urbana (14-3)

Time and site: 5 p.m., at Fross Park

How they got here: Hudson beat Tipton, 9-0, then Union Community, 4-1. CPU shut out Dyersville Beckman, 3-0, and No. 14 Iowa City Regina on the road, 2-0.

State history: CPU is a seven-time qualifier, all from 2011-2019. Hudson has never been to state.

Overview: Center Point-Urbana is the only team to beat Mount Vernon this season and its only three losses are close results against 2A regional finalists Independence, Clear Creek-Amana and Waverly-Shell Rock. The Stormin’ Pointers have allowed just six goals this season and have vaulted to No. 10 in the rankings to host this game despite being the third seed when the brackets were released. Freshman Emily Bowe leads the team with 24 goals. Hudson sophomore Savannah Schneider is tied for seventh in 1A with 15 assists and also paces the Pirates with 21 goals.

No. 9 Solon (16-3) at No. 8 Van Meter (10-5)

Time and site: 5:30 p.m., at Van Meter School

How they got here: Solon got past Mid-Prairie, 2-0, then Washington (Iowa), 4-0. Van Meter mercy-ruled Chariton, 10-0, and Centerville, 11-1.

State history: Solon has advanced once, in 2014. Van Meter is seeking its first state-qualifying banner.

Overview: Solon has won seven straight games, all via shutout. It hasn’t lost a game by more than a goal this season. Junior Morgan Link leads the Spartans with 23 goals and eight assists. Van Meter lost three straight late in the season but has rebounded in the postseason. The Spartans start just one senior, the Bulldogs two.

Other Class 1A games

Western Christian (12-0) at No. 4 Sioux City Heelan (13-4), 6 p.m.

Treynor (9-3-1) at No. 6 Underwood (12-2-1), 6 p.m.

Garner GHV (12-3) at No. 2 Des Moines Christian (17-1), 6 p.m.

No. 11 Denver (11-4) at No. 3 Dike-New Hartford (15-1)

Pella Christian (8-7) at No. 5 Nevada (11-6), 6 p.m.

Dubuque Wahlert (7-10) at No. 1 Davenport Assumption (13-4), 6 p.m.

Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com