Second-half goal gives Cardinals win in opener

In a game their goalkeeper was under siege, Newton High’s Cardinals just couldn’t mount an offensive push in their soccer season opener Thursday night.

Visiting Southeast Polk’s Rams were sending shot after shot on goal, but Newton’s Grant Davidson was up for the task. He kept the Cardinals in the contest at H.A. Lynn Stadium. It was scoreless until the fianl eight minutes.

The Cardinals didn’t get many shots on goal on the night. But they got the one that counted.

With 8:18 remaining in the game, Josh Ventling beat the Ram defense and sent a shot off the cross bar. The ball bounced off the cross bar out of the reach of the goalkeeper and into the net. Reese Rosenquist was credited with the assist on the goal.

Newton was able to control the ball enough in the final eight minutes to secure a 1-0 victory over Southeast Polk.

“Grant was incredible in goal for us tonight,” said Sackda Viravong, Newton head coach. “He made save after save and kept us alive. His senior leadership and experience will definitely be very valuable as we move forward this season. We have strong senior leaders this season.”

Davidson made 15 saves in the game. Southeast Polk had 19 shots on goal to Newton’s three. Newton had just two corner-kick opportunities in the game while the Rams had nine.

“Tonight’s game took hard work and the full effort of the entire team for us to come away with a great victory over a very good team,” Viravong said. “Southeast Polk had possession of the ball 70 percent of the time.”

Viravong pointed out that the first half was played on Newton’s end of the field. Davidson’s play and Newton defenders Brock Southern, Dalton Nevels, Jordan Norvell and Jackson Forck stepped up their game in the second half, Viravong said.

“Our defense and Grant’s great play in goal kept us in the game,” he said. “”We struggled mightily to clear the ball from the back and couldn’t get the ball to our attackers. We rushed to play quickly and made poor decisions without any pressure, which led to many turnovers. Thanks to our fitness and determination, we were granted more chances to get back in the game.”

Viravong said the Cardinals’ scoring play came off a 50/50 ball won by Duncan Lee, who fought hard to win the ball from the SEP defender. Lee passed it to Rosenquist, who switched from a defender to central midfielder during the game.

“Reese played the ball forward to his right to Josh. Josh’s shot was over their keeper into the left corner. It was a fantastic goal and a well-deserved victory for our soccer program,” Viravong said.

The Cardinals (1-0) host a four-team tournament Saturday at H.A Lynn Stadium. Newton plays Benton Van Horne at 10 a.m. followed by Prairie City-Monroe (0-1) taking on Des Monies Roosevelt at 11:30 a.m.

The losers of the first two games play at 1 p.m. The winners play at 2:30 for the championship.

Newton lost the junior varsity game 1-0 when Southeast Polk scored with 25 minutes left in the game. The Cardinal freshmen were tied 1-1 with SEP at halftime and lost 2-1. Taylor Dafflitto scored Newton’s goal.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com