Saturday morning was one for the history books at Mediacom Stadium.
For the first time, the Dallas Center-Grimes boys soccer team was crowned state champions after defeating No. 1 Des Moines Hoover in overtime to win, 3-2.
It’s a story that’s much more than a piece of hardware for the trophy case. The Mustangs’ path to the title was one of family and perseverance behind a courageous senior class.
DCG’s top four scorers are all seniors, led by Ben Jackson. On and off the field, Jackson said the four are best friends. In one last chance at glory, they risked it all.
“We knew this was our last chance,” Jackson said.
Coming into the game, it was easy to see that the fans would be in for a treat.
Hoover, the top seed, and Dallas Center-Grimes, the second seed, were two of the best in the state, particularly on offense. The Mustangs averaged 4.2 goals per game in the regular season, closely followed by Hoover at 3.9 per game. Both teams had some of the most prolific scorers, with Jackson leading the class and Hoover’s Ben Musengo and Javier Flores in the top five.
Iowa high school football state championship at Mediacom Stadium on Saturday. The Mustangs won a contest 3-2 in overtime.”>
It was the Mustangs who got on the board on the first Saturday. They cut up the field from behind and into the box with some efficient passing. The final pass found Jackson, who beat the Hoover goalie to take an early 1-0 lead.
“We needed an early score,” Jackson said. “I knew what I had to do and I did it.”
However, the Huskies responded fairly quickly midway through the first half. Preparing for a free kick from at least 30 yards, the ball found the head of a Hoover player and headed toward the head of Sadi Elitie. He finished off a header to tie the game at one apiece.
Further:Iowa High School Boys Soccer State Tournament: Results and Bracket Updates
From then on, Hoover continued to dominate possession for the rest of the half. Still, the first 40 minutes ended in a 1-1 tie.
Midway through the second half, Jackson found the back of the net once again for the Mustangs. Him stopping and firing a shot from the left side of the box and putting it inside the right post for the 2-1 lead. But Hoover continued to fight and tied it again late in the second with another header, this time from Flores. His 19th goal of the season sent the game into overtime.
Just over two minutes into the first overtime, the Mustangs lined up for a corner kick. The ball was sent directly to the center of the box by senior Tate McDermott. Another member of the senior special class, Brogan Fuller, put the ball in the back of the net from close range to secure the title.
Tears ran down the face of coach Collin Lane, who has been a big part of this senior class’s life as the program’s coach for the past seven seasons.
“When you mention older people, I just lose it,” Lane said. “I couldn’t even go celebrate because I just wanted to see them enjoy the moment. They are so important to this program.”
That senior team, led by Jackson, Fuller, McDermott and Cyrus Khosravi, was led throughout its tenure by Jackson. Not only because of his scoring ability but because of his toughness.
During his sophomore and junior years, he tore his ACL. Behind the team’s medical staff, he was able to return to the field and score 29 goals as a senior, including two crucial ones in the title game.
“I knew if there was anyone who could get through it, it was me,” Jackson said.
Hoover will finish its season at 18-3, but has a lot to be proud of. In coach Jonathan Rubino’s 16th year at the helm, this season marked the first time the team reached the state title game. It is the program’s fourth state tournament appearance all-time.
The Huskies also have a lot to stay optimistic about for next season, with Flores and his team-leading 19 goals returning to the fold. Regardless of that, Rubino was delighted with the team’s effort, gaining the buy-in of every member of the squad and making history along the way.
“Every obstacle that’s presented to this group, they find a way around it,” Rubino said. “Unfortunately, we came up a little short, but I really couldn’t ask for anything more in terms of heart and character. These guys showed who they are, they represented what Des Moines Public Schools is all about.”
“At the end of the day, that’s bigger than the game.”
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23
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