Cameroon or U.S., Besong can play soccer

Brandon Besong is sort of conflicted.

The Cedar Rapids Washington junior certainly wants the United States to do well at the upcoming World Cup in South Africa. That's his country.

But there's a rooting interest in another team, too. His father, John-Paul, was born and raised in Cameroon, a smaller West African nation that also in the tournament.

Good thing the U.S. and Cameroon are in separate first-round groups.

"Hopefully Cameroon will do well," Brandon said. "They're in a pretty good group. They can do pretty well, I think."

No matter how his two rooting interests do in the world's most popular sporting event, it's already been a successful soccer spring for Besong. Washington (14-5) is in the state tournament, a sixth seed playing No. 3 West Des Moines Valley (16-3) in a Class 3A quarterfinal today at 5 at Des Moines's Cownie Park.

The Warriors are one of three Metro schools in the tourney. Cedar Rapids Kennedy (15-4) plays a 4-5 quarterfinal against Des Moines Roosevelt (15-4) and Cedar Rapids Xavier (14-3) is the No. 2 seed in 2A, facing Norwalk (11-7) in a 2:30 quarterfinal.

"Seeing as how last year we kind of got put in the death group (in substate) with Iowa City West and Kennedy and Prairie and all those guys ...," said Besong. "I went my freshman year, and it was a pretty good experience. To go now again with (only) four seniors, and we've got everybody else coming back next year, it feels pretty good."

"We're looking to do some damage. We'll see if we're up for the challenge."

Besong has been up to the challenge of being Washington's go-to guy offensively this season. A second-team all-Mississippi Valley Conference midfielder in 2009, he was moved to a forward position by Washington Coach J.P. Graham.

A speedy player with good ball skills, he has a team-best 15 goals. In Washington's 2-1 substate final victory last weekend over Cedar Falls, Besong had a goal on a penalty kick and set up the game-winning goal in overtime with a run down the right side and a perfect crossing pass to freshman teammate Jack Sunderman.

"He's great," Graham said. "I have him in class also, and he's a great student. He's just a special kid."

Besong said he has a 3.7 grade-point average and wants to play soccer in college. His father played soccer growing up in Cameroon, coming over to the States for college.

John-Paul Besong, an executive at Rockwell Collins, also coached the Coe College women's soccer team for a few years. Brandon's mom, Phyllis, was raised in Peoria, Ill., but met John-Paul in Cedar Rapids.

"My dad played in Cameroon and played on a rec team here in Cedar Rapids. Then he also coached the Coe girls," Brandon said. "I've always been a soccer player. My dad worked with me when I was little. He always told me 'Keep working, keep working, and you'll find yourself in a good position.'

"That's both on the soccer field and in the classroom."