Mid-Prairie gets win on PKs

COLUMBUS JUNCTION - It is a Boy Scout motto but it works for coaches too. Always be prepared.

Mid-Prairie High School girls soccer coach Justin Barthelman has never had a game that he has coached end in penalty kicks. That did not stop him from practicing that scenario Thursday right before Friday's nonconference game with Columbus ended in penalty kicks, which the GoldenHawks won 3-1 to claim the match victory.

Columbus took a 2-0 lead into intermission when Vanessa Mena ran down two long passes from Lizbeth Paz to score two goals within 17 seconds of each other 13 minutes into the match.

'The girls have come together lately because our chemistry is growing every game,” Columbus head coach Alfredo Piedra said. 'We know what we got and we like to think we can score whenever we want.”

'We haven't scored in games where we give up the first goal because it seems like our level play goes down when we give up a goal,” Barthelman said. 'I told them at half time we have scored more than two goals in a half before so let's do it now. We have to keep attacking even though they were a very aggressive team.”

Columbus keeper Liane Sweezer left at halftime because of a committment to band.

'It is a definite confidence boost when she is in there because she is pretty unbelievable,” Piedra said. 'Dakota Silva plays at a different level but I have full confidence in her.”

With 28:23 left in regulation, Silva got some practice for the end of the game when a handball in the box by the Wildcats gave Kaitlyn Martin a penalty kick, which she converted.

Just 2 minutes later, Mid-Prairie's Ester Hughes took control of the ball along the sideline and took it nearly the length of the field before passing it to Elizabeth Baker, who netted the ball to knot the game at 2-2.

'That goal is something that we have been working on,” Barthelman said. 'Ester did a great job ballhandling and sent a perfect pass.”

'I got past the first person so I just kept dribbling it up the field, then once I beat the second person I saw an opening and passed it up to Libby and she got the ball and scored,” Hughes said.

'I was really impressed with Ester,” Barthelman said. 'She has a motor on her and she just goes. All the girls played well, especially in the second half. the first half was just some miscommunication.”

After two 10-minute overtimes were scoreless, Columbus went first on PKs and Mid-Prairie goalkeeper Emily Swartzentruber swatted away the Wildcats first attempt. Baker netted the Hawks first PK. The next Wildcat kick missed the net, then Leah Bontrager found the net for the Hawks.

'I always tell my girls that penalty kicks are like free throws, you have to make it,” Piedra said. 'Their keeper did a good job and guessed right.”

Aaliyah Santos converted Columbus' next PK and Evelyn Gerber matched it for the Hawks. When Columbus missed its fourth attempt, the match was over.

'It's a good thing we worked on this scenario,” Barthelman said. 'I told (Swartzentruber) the pressure was on them. Just pick a side and come out. She was moving and she was active. Our shooters were great. I'm sure it helped that we worked on it. I told them they don't need to kill the ball just put it to the side.”

Columbus has a 4-3 record and plays Assumption Friday.

'It is going to be interesting but we are up for the challenge,” Piedro said.

Mid-Prairie is 4-3 and plays Monday at Wapello, Tuesday at Anamosa, then Friday at home against Keokuk.

No. 5 IMS 2, Central Lee 0

The Iowa Mennonite boys downed Central Lee at the Burlington RecPlex Friday.

The IMS back line of Kobe Borntrager, Eli Ours, Jorge Canchola, and Noah Miller along with Cody Jones stymied most of the Central Lee pushes up front, and when they did break through, goalie Blake Bontrager was there to snag whatever shots Central Lee created.

The offense began to click as Jacob Boller, Drew Blauvelt and Louis Etienne created several opportunities in the first half but the match was scoreless at halftime.

IMS opened the half strong as Blauvelt nearly knocked in a ball from Boller, but the goalie made a desperate save. Six minutes into the half, Brian Maren and Etienne combined on a nice give and go through the middle, springing Etienne open for the shot which he sent into the far post for the 1-0 lead.

IMS put on even more pressure intercepting the Central Lee kickoff and forcing their way into the box where Etienne found the ball at his feet near the penalty kick spot. While Etienne tried to shoot, the goalie came out to try to grab the ball. Desperate to keep Etienne from shooting, the goalie grabbed Etienne's leg nearly pulling him to the ground. The official blew his whistle and pointed to the spot for the penalty kick. Etienne claimed the penalty kick, calmly striking the ball by the goalie for the 2-0 lead with 33 minutes left in the half.

IMS moves to 7-2 overall and 6-1 in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference. IMS hosts West LIberty today in a Varsity/JV doubleheader.