In a day filled with excitement and dramatic finishes, local high school soccer teams from Des Moines and surrounding areas have secured their places in the Iowa State Soccer Finals. The semifinals, held at Mediacom Stadium, saw intense competition in both the 4A and 3A categories.

4A Semifinals: Ankeny Centennial’s Comeback Victory

Ankeny Centennial emerged victorious in a thrilling 4A semifinal against Roosevelt. The match began with Roosevelt taking an early lead, thanks to a penalty kick by Kasongo Liugong. Roosevelt extended their lead to 3-1, but Centennial’s Brock Brazzo led a remarkable comeback. Brazzo’s header, assisted by Markus Gabriel, tied the game at 3-3, pushing the match into overtime. Brazzo then scored the game-winning goal, securing a 4-3 victory for Centennial.

Centennial will face Waukee Northwest in the 4A final. Waukee Northwest secured their spot with a late-game goal, defeating Urbandale 1-0. The Wolves celebrated their hard-fought win and are now preparing to take on Centennial in the championship match.

3A Semifinals: Hoover and Norwalk Triumph

In the 3A semifinals, Hoover High School pulled off an impressive upset against DCG. Despite playing with a torn ACL, Hoover’s senior goalkeeper made crucial saves, and Isaac Ramadan’s goal secured a 1-0 victory. Hoover’s determination and resilience have earned them a place in the finals.

Norwalk also advanced to the 3A championship after defeating top-seeded Xavier. Keegan Crowley’s corner kick set up Eli Scoville for a spectacular goal, and Jacoby Robbins’ save on a penalty kick ensured a 2-0 win for Norwalk. The team is now set to face Hoover in what promises to be an exciting final.

The state finals will take place on Friday, with Ankeny Centennial facing Waukee Northwest in the 4A category, and Hoover competing against Norwalk in the 3A category. These matches are highly anticipated by local fans and promise to deliver more thrilling soccer action.

Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.