Cardinal boys win home soccer tournament

Five players from Newton’s boys soccer team have scored at least two goals in the first three matches of the season.

The depth at the offensive end of the field is starting to take shape, and it’s one of the reasons the Cardinals have started the season 2-1 and played a large role in Newton winning its home tournament for the second straight season.

“We have so many options,” Newton sophomore Cody Klein said. “We have a lot more guys who can put the ball in the net. We all have the ability to score goals. I think that’s one thing that’s been better than last year.”

Klein scored twice in the Cardinals’ season opener against Marshalltown, but they lost the game 4-3.

On Saturday, he tallied just one assist, but because the Cardinals won both contests with ease, Klein felt like he and his team played better overall.

Newton opened the tournament with a 5-0 win over Central Iowa United and then downed Benton 4-1 in what turned out to be the tournament championship match.

Benton defeated Ottumwa 2-1 in the day’s second match and then Ottumwa turned back Central Iowa United 2-1 in sudden death penalty kicks to finish third.

“I was a little disappointed in how we came out in the first game,” Newton head boys soccer coach Zach Jensen said. “We weren’t as clinical as I would have liked us to have been in front of the net. We had plenty of opportunities and just weren’t clinical.”

That was not the case in the championship match against Benton.

Newton (2-1) jumped out to an early lead with three goals in the first 8 minutes and the Bobcats (1-2) never recovered.

All four goals scored by Newton in the game would be considered “pretty goals” by fans in the stands.

Bryar Annee scored the team’s first two goals. The first one came off a beautiful centering pass by Hunter Kennedy. Annee’s second goal came after Derek Beiner sent a perfect pass just in front of the net. Annee put the ball past the Benton keeper with a header.

Newton went up 3-0 not more than 2 minutes later when Christian Lawson’s header reached the back of the net. That goal was set up by a Kennedy corner kick.

“Anytime you score pretty goals, you are being clinical in front of the net,” Jensen said. “We work on that stuff quite often. We want to win free kicks and long balls with our heads first.”

Nate Lampe took the team lead in goals for the season when he scored in the first three minutes of the second half. An Annee assist with a backwards header set up the goal.

The Cardinals took 34 shots and 17 shots on goal in the win over Benton.

Starting goalkeeper Caleb Lawson had two saves in his 46 minutes between the pipes. Hunter Teague was the goalie for the final 14 minutes.

Benton’s lone goal came with 28 seconds to play in the match.

“We talked before the second game about coming out with a little more intensity and bringing more pressure,” Jensen said. “We were a lot more clinical in that one and it didn’t go quite like I expected, but I was very happy with how we played.

“I thought it was going to be a closer game. I was happy we put them away in the first half.”

The Cardinals led Central Iowa United 4-0 at halftime in the tournament’s first match of the day.

Lampe tallied the first and third goals of the half and assisted on the second goal, which was scored by Christian Lawson. Beiner made it 4-0 with a goal in the 23rd minute.

The only tally in the second half for the Cardinals came on an own goal that bounced off CIU goalie Tanner Scroggins in the 45th minute.

Newton registered 31 shots and 14 shots on goal. Caleb Lawson and Teague split time in goal with each playing 30 minutes.

Central Iowa United (0-2) took one shot in the match. Scroggins played all 60 minutes between the posts and recorded 12 saves.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had a good morning game at Newton. It’s hard to get the kids going,” Jensen said. “We woke up at 6 a.m. to watch a professional game and get them out of bed. Whatever we do never seems to work though. I’m not sure what else to do.”

Central Iowa United scored first against Ottumwa (2-1) and had an early lead in the shootout period but couldn’t close the door on the Bulldogs during their third-place match.

Dane Beattie scored the team’s first goal of the season and Austin Lane had the assist, but Central Iowa United lost the shootout 5-4.

It was a better showing for CIU, which finished with 15 shots and 14 shots on goal.

Scroggins tallied 17 saves in the loss.

Ephram Muntz, Andrew Tollefson and Lane scored consecutive goals in the shootout to give CIU an early lead. After a miss, Masen Lundquist scored to force a sixth player to attempt a penalty kick.

Ottumwa missed its first attempt and then connected on five straight to win the match.

Notes: Lampe has three goals this season, while Klein, Beiner, Annee and Christian Lawson all have scored twice. Lampe’s seven points are a team-high, and Kennedy, Christian Lawson, Beiner, Annee and Klein all have five points. “Having two goals against Marshalltown was fun, but we didn’t win the game,” Klein said. “As long as we score and win, I couldn’t care less who gets the goals.” … Kennedy has a team-best five assists. No one else on the team has more than one. … The matches in the Newton tournament were 60 minutes in length as each team played 30-minute halves. … The Cardinals’ defense has a lot of new parts, but the squad has allowed just five goals in the first three matches of the season. “I thought the defense played well,” Jensen said. “We have a newer back line and are getting some kinks worked out, but the starting four is playing well. And I think they’ll just keep maturing as the season goes on.”