Iowa City West heads in the right direction, to 3A championship

DES MOINES - This was no April Fool's joke. Back on the fourth of that month, Iowa City West played its first boys' soccer of the season ... and lost.Consider it a good lesson learned. The Trojans ran the table from there, including a 2-1 win Saturday afternoon over Iowa City High in the Class 3A state championship game at Cownie Park."I definitely think that helped us," said West's Aaron Miller, who assisted on both of his team's goals. "We won it last year, and we thought we were big dogs. Losing our first game gave us a reality check. We had to put in the work, work hard, get everything done and play as a team."West (20-1) avenged that loss to Cedar Rapids Washington in Thursday's quarterfinals. Saturday was a third consecutive win over its biggest rival, the second this season.Justin Baker scored late in the first half and Garrett Grimsman added a middle second-half goal as the Trojans won their record seventh title. These teams also played in the 2010 finals, with West taking that one, 3-1."They're a great team, you've got to give them that," said City High's Fernando Pacheco, whose goal with 14 minutes remaining made things extremely interesting down the stretch. "We knew it was going to be tough to beat them. But, hey, that's why you're in the championship. To win it, right? We just didn't."It was superior play in the air that won West this game.An even first half ended with the Trojans ahead thanks to Baker heading home a perfect crossing pass from just inside the end line to the right of the goal by Miller. The beauty came with just 3:06 remaining and gave West a ton of momentum heading to the final 40 minutes."I just took it to the end line like (Coach Brad) Stiles has been telling us to do all season," Miller said. "I knew Justin was going to be in the box because he called for it. That was a powerful header.""He crossed it perfect," Baker said. "It was right on my head. I knew I had to get that one."It downpoured rain much of the second half, which slowed both teams significantly. But just as the clouds were beginning to break midway through the half, Miller stroked a perfect corner kick to the penalty box that Grimsman was able to get the side of his head on, the ball rolling into the left corner of the net past City High keeper Chris Evans for a 2-0 edge.That was pretty much ballgame."He played a great ball to me," said Grimsman, of just his second goal of the season. "It skipped off my head. Just a great goal. I'm so proud."Pacheco made a run aided by a West defender falling down that ended in a goal that made it a 2-1 game with 14:21 to go. City High (17-3) threw everyone forward in the final 10 minutes and played long ball after long ball into the box, looking for late magic that never quite came."We had our chances at the end," Pacheco said."I had a pretty good idea we weren't going to shut them out," said West Coach Brad Stiles. "I didn't tell the guys that, though. I stressed to them to be composed and do the right things."Which the Trojans did, the rest of the game and after they lost their opener. Pretty appropriate.In the 3A consolation game, Johnston beat Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the second overtime, 2-1. Sameeullah Jung forced extra time with a goal in the second half.Here is the 3A All-Tournament Team:Ryan Harlow (Johnston), Ryan Walker (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), Elbir Ibisevic (Johnston), Killian Magee (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), Fernando Pacheco (Iowa City High), Justin Baker (Iowa City West), Luke Mennen (Iowa City High), Paris Martins (Iowa City West), Peter Larsen (Iowa City High), Ryan Holte (Iowa City West/goalkeeper).

Captain - Mueng Sunday (Iowa City West).