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DCGood

No. 7 Mustangs fend off feisty Lynx in substate

Dallas Center-Grimes goalkeeper Brennon Woody (right) soars to snag the ball out of the air before Webster City’s Dylan Peck (6) or Henry Rodriguez (8) can get a touch off a free kick during Wednesday’s Class 2A Substate 2 semifinal in Grimes. The No. 7 Mustangs ended the Lynx season, 3-1. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

GRIMES — Craig Signorin knew what he and his boys were up against long before they got off the bus or were able to witness the talent on the other side of the pitch Wednesday afternoon.

But Webster City’s head soccer coach and his players weren’t about to wave the white flag. They scratched and clawed, marked and traded hits, and fought until the bitter end.

Just the way the coach drew it up.

“I’m so proud,” Signorin said after his Lynx saw their season come to an end against seventh-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes, 3-1, in a Class 2A Substate 2 semifinal on a sticky and windy day. “We knew what we were up against. We knew they were the better team, but we made them work for 80 minutes and that’s what counts.”

The Mustangs (13-3) dominated every aspect of the match. The ball was constantly at their feet and the statistics were severely one-sided. They out-shot WCHS (10-8) 28-6, but only managed to get 14 shots on frame. Five of the Lynx strikes were on goal.

Webster City’s Michael Gilbert (23) shields the ball from DCG’s Nate Friesenn during the first half on Wednesday in Grimes. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Throw in a highlight video-type performance from WCHS goalkeeper Carsen Johnson — he came up with 11 saves, including four diving stops on shots that looked bound for the back of the net — and the Mustangs were unable to put the Lynx away until a penalty kick by Nate Friesenn found a home in the 76th minute.

“He had a phenomenal game,” WCHS senior defenseman Tyler Bultena said of Johnson. “He saved my butt more than a few times when I messed up.”

Signorin agreed.

“By far his best game of the season,” he said of his goalkeeper. “He came up big for us and that was obviously why we were in the game at the end.”

DCG’s aggressiveness and speed were on display from the moment the ball was put in play. While the Mustangs were constantly on the attack with the wind at their backs in the opening half, WCHS was stuck in react mode.

Webster City goalkeeper Carsen Johnson (center) deflects a shot out of bounds during the first half of a Class 2A Substate 2 semifinal against Dallas Center-Grimes on Wednesday in Grimes. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

A quick run up the left side by Eric Johannson in the fifth minute put DCG in command. He worked the ball around Jackson Moberly and then got by Bultena before slicing a shot past a diving Johnson and inside the far post for a 1-0 advantage.

DCG, which reeled off 10 shots over the first 40 minutes, continued to attack. Johnson dove to stop two threats and batted another one out of play in the initial 10 minutes.

“They’re just good all over the field,” Bultena said. “They didn’t have one position where they were weak. We just had to play disciplined and I thought we did that pretty well most of the game.”

The only moment that made Signorin wince came in the 35th minute when WCHS failed to mark Yancy Freeman on the right post. He was able to get a foot on a rebound that he deflected off a Lynx player and past Johnson for a 2-0 DCG advantage.

“The only thing I’m disappointed in is the second goal,” Signorin said. “We did so good at defending … but then we just got caught and that was the difference maker.”

Webster City’s Drake Doolittle (3) attempts to block the path to the goal for DCG’s Eric Johannson (9) in the first half on Wednesday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

DCG continued to pepper shots after the break, but the majority of them sailed over the goal as the match remained a two-goal difference.

WCHS started to push numbers with 15 minutes remaining and it helped to put it in position to slice the deficit in half. Edgar Perez was fouled in the box on a run in the 69th minute to set up a penalty kick for Dylan Peck. As Mustangs’ goalkeeper Brennon Woody dove to his right, Peck was able to float the ball into an open net on the other side to make it 2-1.

“We always knew we had a chance, but that really made us feel like we were still in it,” Bultena said.

But WCHS returned the favor just over six minutes later when Will Tasler was called for a push on Nate Friesenn as he made his way into the box. Friesenn slammed the penalty kick in the left corner to push the cushion back to two goals.

Signorin felt like the foul on Tasler was questionable.

WCHS senior Edgar Perez passes the ball out to the perimeter against DCG on Wednesday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“(The referee) hadn’t called that all game, but he decided to there,” he said.

It was the end of the line for five WCHS seniors, including Bultena, who helped the program win 47 matches over their four years.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Bultena said. “I”m going to miss all of these guys.”

DCG advanced to Saturday’s substate final against sixth-ranked ADM in Adel. The winner will advance to the state tournament.

DC-Grimes 3, Webster City 1

Class 2A Substate 2 Semifinal

Wednesday at Grimes

Webster City 0 1 — 1

DC-Grimes 2 1 — 3

Goals — WC: Dylan Peck (penalty kick), 69th minute; DCG: Eric Johannson (unassisted), 5th minute; Rancy Freeman (Nate Friesenn assist), 35th minute; Friesenn (penalty kick), 76th minute. Shots — WC 6, DCG 28. Shots on goal — WC 5, DCG 14. Saves — WC 11 (Carsen Johnson), DCG 4 (Brennon Woody).Corner kicks — WC 1, DCG 3.

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