Gallery • 11 Photos

Joseph Cress

Sarrive Rukakiza '16 wins a ball during the Little Hawks' quarter final matchup against Des Moines Roosevelt at the Cownie Soccer Park on June 2nd, 2016.

The last two years, City High came into the state tournament in Des Moines only to exit in the first round. Last year, the Little Hawks were knocked off in penalties by Sioux City West. That wasn’t the case this year, as the Little Hawks took control early before cruising to a 3-0 win over Des Moines Roosevelt.

“After the two loses we had the last two years in the first round to teams that were not as we were on paper, we weren’t going to take anything for granted, so this victory is huge. Sometimes the first ones are the hardest,” City High head coach Jose Fajardo said.

The Little Hawks got on the board in the seventeenth minute when Cameron Chavez ’18, just seconds after getting subbed in took a shot from about thirty yards out that found the back of the net. City tried to attack from a distance, as Fajardo said that the team studied the team and realized that Roosevelt would have a line of defenders back the entire time, and that that would be the best way to attack.

“So shooting from the distance [we knew] was going to be a way to penetrate the defense, so we talked about that, and sometimes what you talk about happens; I’m really happy with the guys,” Fajardo said.

City’s strategy worked again just before the half when Collin O’Maera ’16 scored on a shot from well outside the box that found the top corner and gave City the 2-0 lead about a minute before the half.

“It felt really good, I  think the keeper wasn’t really expecting me to shoot, but it was good to get one right before we went into halftime,” O’Maera said of his goal.

City’s final goal came off of a free kick by Gavin Oliver ’17 in the 65th minute that was initially saved, however Hunter teDuits ’18 tapped it in off the deflection. The Little Hawks then were able to play keep away for the rest of the second half as both teams emptied their benches with about five minutes left and City cruised to victory. City High will play Ames in the semi-finals tomorrow at 5:00.

“I know a lot about Ames, I didn’t talk about Ames until we beat this team because I didn’t want to anticipate anything,” I’m expecting a tough competition, they just had a tough game against Linn-Mar, they were down 2-0 they came back 4-2, so obviously a team who has some heart and has a way to get back into the game.”

The other matchup semi-final matchup will be between second seeded West Des Moines Valley and sixth seeded Cedar Rapids Washington.