Much to be proud of for state quarterfinalist Center Point-Urbana

The Stormin’ Pointers battled for 80 minutes.

That’s all Coach Kevin Schmidt could ask for.

“They played their hearts out,” Schmidt said. “Grit, determination … they played hard for each other. We want them to hold each other up, and they certainly did that.”

Class 1A’s ninth-ranked Center Point-Urbana (15-3-2) girls’ soccer team was bested by No. 2 Sioux City Heelan (18-2), 3-0, in the state quarterfinals Tuesday at Lied Recreation Fields in Ames.

Less than two minutes into the contest, Sioux City Heelan’s leading scorer, Trelyn White, drilled a shot that carried over the keeper’s heads for a score.

White entered the contest fourth in 1A with 43 goals.

“Going down a goal early is tough to come back from,” Schmidt said. “We held our own coming through, just trying to maintain that we’re playing our system and our style as much as we can.”

With 27:38 remaining in the first half, Sioux City Heelan’s Claudia Lavariega launched a deep shot that found the net.

“They certainly brought their A-game,” Schmidt said. “We weren’t really sure how they’d attack against us. They did a great job of moving the ball forward and finding their target. And just being able to shoot from anywhere kind of caused a few problems for us today.”

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White added her second goal with 37:47 on the clock.

From there, CPU’s defense held Sioux City Heelan in check.

The Stormin’ Pointers made a last push, attacking the net and attempting three shots on goal in the final eight minutes.

“These girls have a lot of heart,” Schmidt said. “They gave everything they’ve got for us, and that’s all we can ask as coaches. They are great, coachable players that give it their all and we saw that today.

“I’m very proud.”

For CPU’s seniors, their careers bookend with state tournament appearances. The Stormin’ Pointers last reached state in 2022.

“Our senior class is amazing,” Schmidt said. “A few of them have started since they were freshmen, so they’ve produced for us for four years. They’ve set a lot of records for our school. They hold almost half the positions in the top 10 lists from their freshman year to their senior year, so we’ve seen a lot from them.”

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While eight seniors move on, CPU will return plenty of talent next season, including freshman Ella Volz, who tied senior Emily Bowe with a team-leading 20 goals.

Schmidt hopes the experience and momentum of this year’s state tournament will carry on.

“We’re confident in our returning lineup,” Schmidt said. “We’re certainly going to miss those seniors. We’ve got players who can certainly step up into their roles and play for us, so we’re looking forward to what’s to come.”