TR PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER – Marshalltown sophomore forward Aaron Aldous-Zambrano (10) faces Mason in the Class 4A Substate 3 first-round draw Tuesday at Leonard Cole Field.・We beat City 3-0 and celebrated our second goal of the game.
Marshalltown boys soccer is playing its best soccer at the perfect time.
The Bobcats won their fourth straight game Tuesday with a 3-0 victory over Mason City in the Class 4A Substate 3 first-round game at Leonard Cole Field.
MHS improved to 6-10 overall and will play David's role against 4A No. 2 Dowling Catholic in the state semifinals next Monday in Des Moines.
“We've had some good wins, so we want to keep that going against Dowling,” MHS senior Brecken Payne said.
Marshalltown coach Scott Johannes felt the Bobcats needed to break away from Mason City's style in the first half to start finding success.
TR PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER – Marshalltown's Aaron Aldous-Zambrano, 10, stands after Ortiz scores the game's first goal in the Bobcats' game against Mason City on Tuesday at Leonard Cole Field. Sample Joel Ortiz's cooking.
“We were pushing the ball more than we wanted to, instead of holding onto the ball and waiting for it to come to us,” Johannes said. “Sometimes when a team plays a long ball like that, we just go with it.”
In the middle, Joel Ortiz scored with an assist from Rafa Ortiz, giving Marshalltown the lead and stabilizing the Bobcats after an up-and-down start for both offenses.
Just when it seemed like halftime would continue, a foul in Mason City's defensive box late in the second half earned Aaron Aldous-Zambrano a penalty kick for a 2-0 lead. A minute later, with some nifty footwork, he recovered a loose ball and chipped a shot perfectly over the outstretched arm of the Mason City keeper, and in 60 seconds Marshalltown's advantage went from one goal to three. It changed to
“I wasn't expecting much,” Aldous Zambrano said of his second goal of the night, his 15th of the season. “I just shot it.”
Even with a 3-0 lead, the message at halftime after a slow start was a tough one, and the Bobcats responded, Johannes said.
“The only thing we didn't achieve was to take more shots in the second half,” Johannes added. “But we controlled the ball throughout the first half.”
In the second half, Marshalltown was able to neutralize Mason City's attack with the River Hawks' offense and leading scorer Elliott Lewis' communication and solid sliding tackle.
“We just had to trust that our goalie was there and communicate so they didn't get past our defense because they were fast,” Payne said.
Last week's win over then No. 7 (3A) Marion was a big boost for the Bobcats, especially as they prepare for another ranked challenger in the Maroons, last year's state semifinalist.
“Marion is the strongest team we have ever played, and beating them gave us even more confidence,” Aldous Zambrano said. “This shows that there's really no team above the other. It comes down to who wants it more and who comes out on top.”
As strong as Marshalltown has been on the field the last few weeks of the season, Johannes said the Bobcats will need more from Dowling.
“We need to get as close to a perfect match as possible,” he added. “You're going to make some mistakes, but you can't make too many mistakes in a row. The defense is ready to play the full 80 minutes, and they're fast and physical, so we need to take advantage of that opportunity. We have to be on target. But we also have a physical force.
“They wear the boots just like us. We have to believe in ourselves.”
-
-
TR Photo by Jake Ryder – Marshalltown sophomore forward Aaron Aldous-Zambrano (10) faces the Bobcats in Tuesday's Class 4A Substate 3 first-round draw at Leonard Cole Field. They defeated Mason City 3-0 and celebrated their second goal of the game.
-
-
TR Photo by Jake Ryder – Marshalltown's Aaron Aldous-Zambrano, 10, after Ortiz scored the game's first goal in the Bobcats' game against Mason City on Tuesday at Leonard Cole Field. sample Joel Ortiz's cooking.
