Linn-Mar gets revenge win against City

DES MOINES - Opportunistic scoring and a stout back line led No. 4 Linn-Mar to a 3-1 quarterfinal victory over second-ranked Iowa City High in the boys' state soccer tournament Thursday at Cownie Park.

The state victory was the first for the Lions (18-3) and came in their fourth appearance and first since 2008. The Lions play top-ranked and unbeaten Johnston (20-0) today at 5 p.m. for a berth in the championship game.

'I think we just believed in ourselves,” Linn-Mar Coach Corey Brinkmeyer said. 'We were close to them at home on senior night. We lost 1-0 on a little bit of a tough play. We believed in each other. We liked the underdog role. And our guys, despite the injuries, the different starting lineup, they just came out and wanted to play.”

For City High (15-3) it was a bitter pill. The Little Hawks won the regular-season match-up 1-0 at Linn-Mar and finished as conference co-champs. They were the only team to beat defending champion Iowa City West. The Little Hawks were state runners-up in 2013 and 2010, their last two appearances.

Coach Jose Fajardo said that the Lions played better and deserved to win.

The Lions dominated play for the first 20 minutes, but the score was 0-0 at halftime.

Linn-Mar got a break on a hand ball in the 50th minute. That gave sophomore Hunter Wong a penalty kick, and he scored for a 1-0 lead.

City responded aggressively and Adam Nicolson got the equalizer in the 62nd minute as he broke through the back line. His kick hit the bottom of the crossbar and went in. Fajardo said he thought his team would win at that point after seizing momentum.

'I was a little nervous; they're a great team and can strike from anywhere on the field,” Brinkmeyer admitted.

The good times for City were short-lived.

Linn-Mar was awarded a free kick from about 35 yards out on the right. The ball was served into the box and Noah Ajram got a foot on it but could only pass it to the right to Ben Johnson, who booted it in for a 2-1 lead.

Linn-Mar's Devin Eby got the clincher with just 3:01 left to play.