Central Iowa United boys score first-ever postseason win
May 23—STATE CENTER — In 2021, the Central Iowa United boys' soccer team won five matches, was shut out six times and lost 10-0 in the opening round of the postseason.
Last spring, CIU finished 2-13, scored 12 goals, got shut out nine times and lost another substate match 10-0.
The improvement in 2023 has been impressive. So much so that the program celebrated its first-ever postseason win during a 4-1 home triumph over Boone on Tuesday.
Colfax-Mingo junior Austin Lane scored twice, Baxter junior Ben Richardson had one goal and two assists and Tigerhawk freshman Gage Byal delivered two assists and Jasper County student-athletes played a major factor in the Class 3A Substate 5 victory.
"We look like a soccer team this year and it feels great," said Lane, who now has 10 goals this spring. "We are playing as a team and passing it around."
The team which consistently made several passes throughout the match won. The other team, the Toreadors, just couldn't muster much of anything offensively in the first half.
Central Iowa United (6-8) had an 11-2 shots advantage in the first 40 minutes and held a shots on goal surplus of 7-0. It added up to a 2-0 halftime lead.
Boone's coaches were frustrated with their team's play at intermission and the players were even bickering at each other.
"The start was really important," Lane said. "It killed their spirits."
Lane opened the scoring with a goal in the 13th minute. It was a hard shot just outside the keeper box. His second of the match came nearly 20 minutes later. Both goals were assisted by Richardson.
Boone (1-12) did improve its play in the second half. The Toreadors flipped the shots and shots on goal advantages to their side, but Richardson's goal with 9:23 to play made it 3-0. That came off a Byal assist.
Dane Beattie capped the victory with his first goal of the season off a nice pass by Byal.
CIU keeper Lucas Barnes made nine saves in the win. His most impressive stop came with 10 minutes to go as he halted a big advantage by Boone.
Nearly three minutes later, the Toreadors sent a shot that bounced off the crossbar. Dylan Bolton cracked the scoreboard for Boone in the 79th minute.
"We had some huge momentum after the start. I think we let up too much late in the game though," Richardson said. "We shouldn't have allowed that goal. We got tired as the half went on. After we got the three-goal lead, things got worse."
Wade Weave added his first assist of the season in the match, too. Barnes now has 189 saves this spring, which sits third in 3A.
Richardson said a big reason why the program took a big step forward this spring was because the players are taking it more seriously.
"It feels great. It makes me feel like I am a part of something," Richardson said. "We're more connected this season. We really bucked down. We are taking it a lot more seriously and guys are trying a lot harder."
