IC West, Marion, and Mount Vernon clinch state bids among substate championship thrillers

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - The Iowa high school boys substate soccer championships went down to the wire on Friday night.

In 3A, Marion won 2-1 in overtime over Decorah. Cole Angell scored the game-winning goal after the Wolves trailed 1-0.

“They’ve been like that all year when we find ourselves going down, it just energizes them almost. Then we come out a different team. I’ve seen that multiple games this year. That’s what we saw here tonight again,” said Marion head coach Kory Boebel.

In 2A, Mount Vernon won a rivalry matchup with Solon, 1-0. The Mustangs will head to state with the rest of the substate champions.

“We worked all offseason, during the season, with this one game in mind,” said Mount Vernon senior Jaxon Anderson, who scored the game’s only goal. “The fact that it’s Solon makes it that much sweeter.”

In 4A, Iowa City West won in penalty kicks over Cedar Rapids Prairie. The game was scoreless in regulation and overtime.

“When I heard everyone chanting my name, I smiled and I just knew I was going to save that one,” said junior goalkeeper Tito Lessa.