Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

NORTH LIBERTY – West High had several golden first-half opportunities to take control of its rivalry match with defending 3A champion Liberty High on Monday.

When those early opportunities didn’t result in goals the Trojans could have pouted on panicked.

Instead, West High did the opposite.

Nicholas Zhang and Daniel Fuentes scored second-half goals in a final 40 minutes controlled by West High as the Trojans notched a 2-0 win over Liberty High in a cross-town match between 2023 state finalists at Lightning Stadium.

“There could have been a serious momentum change after Kaleab (Wendy) missed his penalty, and there was another time I was looking for us to deflate but that didn’t happen,” West High coach Brad Stiles said. “I thought they did a really good job at halftime of paying attention and coming out and being focused.”

West High (3-1) had chances to take control early, the best opportunity a penalty kick for the dangerous Wendy with 6:56 remaining in the half.

However, Wendy’s shot glanced off the left post and rolled away leaving the game scoreless at the half.

“We had to stay loose,” Zhang said. “If we aren’t putting the ball away we have to keep our feet movement and stay loose and do the things we need to do.”

West High continued to push forward in the second half and despite several stellar saves from Liberty High goalkeeper Conley Sunblad got on the board on a goal from Zhang with 27:49 remaining.

Zhang took a feed from Daniel Fuentes and slipped a shot into the corner of the goal to snap the scoreless tie.

“It’s just adrenaline,” Zhang said. “Especially in a rivalry game like this, when you tap the ball in, it’s just pure excitement.”

Liberty High (1-2), which is coming off a 3A state title last season, wouldn’t go quietly.

The Lightning had several chances to pull even, mostly created by the program’s all-time goal scoring leader, senior Flori Gembo.

“It only takes Flori a few touches to get the crowd on their feet doesn’t it?” Stiles questioned.

The best chance for Gembo came on a Liberty High counter attack in the final five minutes.

Gembo raced past several defenders and was one on one with West High keeper Jacob Gilliam but his shot from the right side of the box with 4:16 remaining sailed just wide of the left post.

“I felt like I should have man marked him as well as having four dudes behind him and maybe I should have after watching that,” Stiles said. “He’s a special guy.”

West High put the finishing touches on the win just minutes later on an insurance goal by Fuentes.

The junior midfielder took the ball into Liberty High territory before connecting on a shot from distance that gave West High a 2-0 lead with 2:21 remaining.

“I got the ball pretty far deep and I saw a lot of space in front of me,” Fuentes said. “I just dribbled until I was close enough that I felt comfortable enough shooting it and I took it.”

The win was the second straight for West High and the third shutout in four games for the Trojans who’s only loss came to Ankeny Centennial in penalty kicks.

“I think we are getting better at playing as a team,” Fuentes said. “We still have a long way to go to put more in the net and finish but more chances but I think we are starting to get the hang of each other and understand each other as players.”

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