Johnston beats Dowling, wins second-straight Iowa boys high school soccer championship
June 2, 2024

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Back-to-back state titles aren’t easy.

Not in soccer, especially, with the sport’s low scores and even lower margin of error. Not for a team that entered the season – as the reigning state champions – and the tournament – as the No. 1 seed – with a target on its back.

But Johnston achieved that feat Saturday, defeating Dowling, 3-0, in the Class 4A boys soccer final.

“Winning is hard in general,” Johnston coach Jim Frizzell said postgame. “But winning it two times in a row is that much harder.”

So, here is how the game went.

Despite a back-and-forth beginning, Dowling tested the Dragons’ defense from the start.

Over a span of 30 seconds – about nine minutes into the game – Johnston’s defense made two massive stops: One when goaltender Cole Hanson came out of the box but couldn’t get the ball and another when Dowling looked hopeful with a one-on-one chance.

But the Maroons’ early momentum faded shortly after when Johnston showed why it has become such a tough team to beat.

Senior midfielder Carlos Martinez dribbled downfield before sending a cross toward the center of the field near the net, where junior forward Kyron Pope had just beaten his defender. He took the shot and it looked like Dowling goalie Hudson Porter got a hand on it, but it wasn’t enough as the ball rolled past him and into the back of the net.

Minutes later, the Dragons doubled their total on the scoreboard.

Martinez took a corner kick from the right side, perfectly placing the ball for Isaiah LaMark to jump up and head it in for the second score of the match.

LaMark was dominant on defense, too, heading away shots, kicks and corners in the final 20 minutes of the game to help secure the shutout.

“He was lights out tonight,” Frizzell said. “Not only did he score a goal but he clamped things down on defense. What more do you want out of a soccer player?”

The first half didn’t end before Dowling got off a couple attempts, but nothing that Hanson and crew couldn’t handle. Johnston didn’t manage any more goals in the final 25 minutes of the half and the Dragons went to the locker room with a healthy lead at the break.

Fans at Mediacom Stadium saw the action slow down a bit in the second half.

Or, at least, the scoring did.

Dowling saw scoring attempts go over the crossbar, wide or get cleared by a power-packed kick from a Johnston defender. The Dragons kept the Maroons on their toes and continued to dictate the pace of play.

Only one more goal was scored before the end of the game: A shot from Markos Pelayo Pintor, on a wide-open net, with just over a minute left made the lead 3-0. That sealed the deal for the Dragons, officially making them back-to-back state champions.

This matchup wasn’t all fun and games, though.

Both teams lost a player to injury: Sophomore midfielder Cael Leach on Johnston’s side and junior defender and captain John Foth from Dowling.

Injuries and adversity were something that Johnston dealt with all year. The Dragons were without Pope – their leading scorer from the 2023 title-winning season – until the postseason. Several other impactful players missed games, and Johnston was without some of its star players in the championship.

“Kyron was terrific,” Frizzell said. “He was on track to shatter a lot of records for us. Not having – as we say – ‘the alpha’ out there was really tough. I’ll throw out (senior) Mateo Munguia. Broke his leg, played a game on a broken leg before we found out it was broken. He was our dog, too.

“That’s really tough for us, but that allowed other people to step up. For us to be here, I think it’s truly incredible the group we have.”

As for perseverance, look no further than Hanson, the Dragons goalie.

Hanson transferred to Johnston from Urbandale and secured a state title in his final year of high school. He did that after beating a cancer diagnosis last year.

More: Urbandale boys soccer player Cole Hanson’s cancer diagnosis hasn’t stopped him from competing

“He hadn’t played in a while and you forget that,” Frizzell said. “There were some errors coming in, and then something clicked around game 10. He started being lights out.

“You saw him today get a shut out in a state final. He was a great addition, and I’m glad he was able to go out on top with everything he battled.”

Through the lumps and the bumps, Johnston soccer found a way through.

The Dragons had hopes of repeating from the moment they won the title last season.

Johnston will start next season with another target on its back, and the Dragons are up for the challenge.

“I don’t know if another team could handle the adversity the way these boys did it and rose to the occasion,” Frizzell said. “So yeah, this one feels a little more special just for that side of it.”

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

Source: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/high-school/2024/06/01/johnston-tops-dowling-for-second-straight-iowa-boys-state-soccer-title-ihsaa/73877947007/

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