Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – Last season West Branch earned its first ever state tournament appearance in dramatic fashion with an overtime win over Pella Christian in the substate title game.

The return trip for the Bears came on Wednesday with none of the drama.

Top-ranked West Branch scored three times in the opening 10 minutes, built a 5-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 6-0 win over Mediapolis (12-4) in the Class 1A, Substate 6 title game at the Little Rose Bowl in West Branch.

“This is awesome, second year in a row going to state, it’s amazing,” West Branch senior Joe Hamann said. “Last year it was a huge deal and this year’s it’s just the same.”

Six different players scored goals for West Branch (18-0) which returns to the state tournament for the second consecutive season following the first unbeaten regular season in program history.

Trenton Schutte, Reese Gingerich, Cameron Gingerich, Christian Scire, Hamann and goalkeeper Shae Farmer all scored goals for the Bears on Wednesday in a dominating effort that was all but decided in the opening 10 minutes.

“We came out and got those early goals and it kind of deflates the other team when you score that early,” West Branch coach Ted Miller said. “I just remind them how important the first five minutes of the game is to setting the tempo. We want to play our game and go out with a lot of energy right out of the gate.”

The early offensive explosion on Wednesday came after West Branch scored three first-half goals in a 7-1 substate semifinal win over Central Lee on Monday.

West Branch has scored at least two goals in every match this season and Wednesday was the Bears’ 10^th match with five or more goals

“Before the game coach told us the first five minutes of each half are the most critical points of the game, it’s what can make or break a game,” Hamann said. “In our last game against Central Lee we had the same deal, we scored in 30 seconds and that just builds so much momentum.”

Schutte gave West Branch an early advantage less than 90 seconds into the match when he scored off a Cameron Gingerich assist.

West Branch struck again a little more than a minute later when Reese Gingerich found the back of the net.

“Before the game we got the team together and we watched film on these guys and we really came prepared for this game,” Schutte said. “That showed on the field.”

The Bears led 3-0 less than 10 minutes into the game when Cameron Gingerich scored off a Schutte assist.

Scire and Hamann added first-half goals both on scrums in front of the net as West Branch took a 5-0 lead into intermission.

“We came in with the game plan of just quick one touches and to just move the ball,” Schutte said. “We knew we had the speed to cause problems and we capitalized.”

Farmer got into the offensive act when he converted a penalty kick with 25 minutes remaining to give West Branch a 6-0 lead.

That was more than enough offense as the Bears posted their ninth shutout of the season.

“It feels great, there is no better feeling as a goalie to see your teammates put one in the goal right away,” Farmer said. “It feels amazing.”

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