Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – It took a series of clutch saves from Conley Sundblad during regulation and 20 minutes of overtime for Liberty High to even be in a penalty kick shootout in its Class 3A state opener on Monday.

Sundblad saved his biggest and perhaps best save for when it mattered most.

Sundblad made a diving save on the second Des Moines Hoover attempt in the shootout helping second-ranked Liberty High edged the Huskies 1-0 (5-4 in penalty kicks) in a Class 3A state quarterfinal at Liberty High School in North Liberty.

“We know that Conley is going to save one,” Liberty High coach Matt Harding said. “I was hoping for maybe two but he’s the best keeper in the state and we are so lucky to have him on our team.”

Sundblad was sensational from the outset.

He deflected a shot from Isack Ramadhani from point blank range on a breakaway in the 22^nd minute that kept the game scoreless.

In the 29^th minute Sundblad made a sliding save on a rebound attempt after a Javier Flores shot ricocheted off the post.

“I had all in the trust in the world in my teammates and in myself,” Sundblad said. “I knew we could come here and get it done.”

After holding seventh-ranked Des Moines Hoover (5-12-2) scoreless for 100 minutes of regulation and overtime Sundblad knew he needed a single save in the shootout to earn a win.

“I know that all I need is one,” Sundblad said. “I rely on my teammates and I know that they will put them in.”

Sundblad got his save when he dove to his right and got both hands on a rolling shot from Des Moines Hoover junior Jumapili Hassani.

“I’ve been in that situation before a couple times so I knew how to react to the ball,” Sundblad said. “I was feeling really confident.”

Sundblad’s teammates took care of the rest.

Roman Riggs, Xavier Oberfoell, Collin Weis and Finn O’Toole connected on consecutive penalty kick attempts to five the Lightning a 4-3 edge after four attempts.

Senior leading goal scorer Japhet Bongo clinched the win with his successful try on the final attempt for the Lightning.

“I wasn’t really nervous,” Bongo said. “I was just calm.”

The win was the third straight for Liberty High (12-5-2) which will face eighth-ranked Cedar Rapids Washington in the Class 3A semifinals on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Mediacom Stadium in Des Moines.

Cedar Rapids Washington (8-5-4) defeated top-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes 3-2 in penalty kicks in the 3A quarterfinals on Monday.

“I think this tells us we can win it all,” Sundblad said. “Hoover is a really good team. They got unfortunate and had to forfeit some games but I feel like this could have been a state championship game right here. I am glad we got to play a good team early on and see what that level of competition is like.”

It was the ninth shutout of the season for Sundblad and his second in a row after blanking North Scott 1-0 in the regional title game.

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