Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 1 Waukee (19-0) vs. No. 9 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (11-3)

Defending 3A champion Waukee returns to defend its 3A crown riding a 25-match winning streak dating back to last season.

The remaining unbeaten team in 3A this season, Waukee has been impressive throughout the regular season outscoring opponents 77-5 while posting 15 shutouts.

Waukee is 4-0 against 3A state tournament qualifiers this season, winning those four matches by a combined score of 10-2.

The Warriors are among the most balanced teams in the state featuring 11 players with three or more goals this season led by junior Edi Cokovic with 14 goals.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy returns to the state tournament for the first time since 2012 following a 2-1 substate final win over No. 15 Cedar Rapids Prairie.

The Cougars haven’t lost following a 4-3 start to the season that featured losses to Prairie, Johnston and West High.

No. 13 Bettendorf (12-2) vs. No. 6 Urbandale (14-5)

Bettendorf is back at the state tournament for the third straight season after a 1-0 win over third-ranked Pleasant Valley in the substate finals avenged a 3-0 early season loss to the Spartans.

Last year’s 3A runner-up, Bettendorf has reached the state semifinals each of the past two seasons after not reaching the semifinals since 2009.

The Bulldogs annually rank among the stingiest defensive teams in the state and have lived up to that reputation this season allowing five total goals and posting 11 shutouts.

Bettendorf enters riding a seven-match winning streak that features six shutouts.

Urbandale is back at the state tournament after a one-year absence and is seeking its first state tournament win since 2004.

The J-Hawks lost three of four matches to close the regular season but rebounded with a pair of wins in the postseason capped by a 2-1 win over seventh-ranked West Des Moines Valley in the substate final.

No. 2 West High (16-1) vs. No. 10 Ankeny (12-6)

One of the top programs in state history, West High returns to the state tournament for the fourth straight season playing as well as any team in the state.

The Trojans bring a 16-match winning streak into the state tournament, a stretch that started with a 2-0 win over Ankeny back on March 30.

During its current 16-game winning streak West High has four wins over state tournament qualifiers and 10 shutouts.

West High had a 15-year string of state tournament appearances stopped in 2015 but has played in three consecutive state tournaments since reaching the state semifinals each of the past two seasons.

Ankeny is making its second consecutive state tournament appearance and third in the past four years after a 4-1 win over No. 12 Des Moines Lincoln in the substate finals.

Of the five in-state losses for Ankeny this season three have come to state tournament qualifiers.

The Hawks feature one of the top scoring duos in Class 3A in Charlie Pritchard and Kolby Raineri. The duo has combined for 27 goals and 24 assists. 

No. 5 Marshalltown (16-2) vs. No. 11 Cedar Rapids Washington (13-5)

Marshalltown has become one of the best stories of the season going from 9-7 last season to 16-2 and its first state tournament trip since 2001 this spring.

The Bobcats advanced to the state meet in dramatic fashion with a 3-2 win over Southeast Polk in a substate final that came down to penalty kicks.

Marshalltown has shown it deserves to be at the state tournament. After a 3-0 season-opening loss to Urbandale the Bobcats have won 16 of 17 matches with the lone loss a 3-2 setback at top-ranked Waukee.

Cedar Rapids Washington is back at state for the first time since 2016 thanks to a late season surge that has the Warriors riding an eight-match winning streak.

The Warriors lost four consecutive matches in the middle of the season, all to state qualifiers, but hasn’t lost since after hammering City High 6-2 in the substate final.

Washington has outscored opponents 47-3 during its current eight-match winning streak and has six shutouts during that stretch.

The Faces

Waukee: Senior keeper Wesley Sanders was a first-team team all-state pick last season and has been even better this year allowing just two goals while making 27 saves.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy: Junior Alan Kim has established himself as one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the state this season leading the Cougars with 12 goals and six assists.

Urbandale: Alex Economos leads the J-Hawks with 13 goals and has added five assists.  

Bettendorf: The Bulldogs aren’t known as an explosive offensive team but when Bettendorf scores senior Ian Silva is usually in the middle of the action. Silva has seven goals and leads the team with 12 goals.

West High: The leader of a balanced West High attack, senior Gada Ambo ranks second on the team with 12 goals and is tied for the team lead with seven assists.  

Ankeny: A first-team all-state selection last season Kolby Raineri ranks second on the team with 12 goals and ranks fifth in 3A with 15 assists.  

Marshalltown: Junior Jose Torres leads 3A with 24 goals this season and has been at his best of late scoring two goals in each of the Bobcats’ two postseason wins.

Cedar Rapids Washington: Senior Keaton Woods is among the most dynamic scoring threats in the state evident by his nine postseason goals that includes a five-goal effort in a substate win over City High. 

The Forecast

Everything points towards a one versus two showdown between West High and Waukee in the Class 3A title match.

However, the past two years have showed that there is no such thing as an easy road in the 3A tournament.

If West High and Waukee can get past opening round challenges they would both faced stiff tests in the semifinals.

A potential semifinal matchup between West High and Marshalltown would be one to watch.

The Focus

Can anyone take down Waukee?

The Warriors got hot at the right time last season winning the Class 3A state title as the eight-seed.

Waukee hasn’t slowed down since, winning 19 consecutive matches by a combined score of 77-5 this season.

The Warriors bring a 25-match winning streak to Cownie Soccer Complex this week and have posted shutouts in 14 of their last 16 matches.

Five Fast Facts

*- Each of the last two 3A state titles have been won by an eight seed, West High in 2017 and Waukee last season.

*- Nine of the 19 goals for Cedar Rapids Washington senior Keaton Woods this season came in two postseason games with his five-goal effort against City High tying for the top single-match scoring output in 3A this season.

*- West High is the lone team in the 3A field with more than two players with double digit goals. The Trojans have three players with at least 10 goals in Brody Schilling (13), Gada Ambo (12) and Marko Migambi (10).

*- Marshalltown junior Jose Torres leads 3A with 24 goals this season, which accounts for 47 percent of the Bobcats scoring this season.  

*- West High is 39-12 all-time in state tournament matches, the 39 wins is the most in state tournament history, seven more than West Des Moines Valley.

The Schedule

Friday’s Quarterfinals

Waukee (19-0) vs. Cedar Rapids Kennedy (11-3), 5 p.m.

Bettendorf (12-2) vs. Urbandale (14-5), 5:05 p.m.

West High (16-1) vs. Ankeny (12-5), 5:15 p.m.

Marshalltown (16-2) vs. Cedar Rapids Washington (13-5), 5:10 p.m.

Saturday’s Semifinals

Waukee/Cedar Rapids Kennedy winner vs. Bettendorf/Urbandale winner, 5 p.m. 

West High/Ankeny winner vs. Marshalltown/Cedar Rapids Washington winner, 5:05 p.m. 

Tuesday’s Championship

Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.

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