April 25, 2024

Cardinals shut out STC, advance

By Jocelyn Sheets

Newton High senior Peyton Maher (44) controls the ball against a South Tama defender in Thursday’s Class 2A Region 3 first-round game at Newton’s H.A. Lynn Stadium. Maher scored three goals in Newton’s 6-0 victory. Newton advances to the Region 3 semifinal round against No. 3 Dallas Center-Grimes on Tuesday at Grimes. (Jocelyn Sheets)

Possession is nine-tenths of the game on the soccer pitch.

Newton High’s Cardinal girls did that and more in a 6-0 win over visiting South Tama County in Thursday’s Iowa Class 2A Region 3 opening round.

The Cardinals dominated play against the Trojans.

The Cardinals (9-7) advance to the Region 3 semifinals. They play at 6 p.m. Tuesday against 2A third-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes (11-2) in Grimes.

On the other side of the regional bracket, Clear Creek-Amana beat Washington 8-0. Clear Creek-Amana (13-4) plays at No. 13 Bondurant-Farrar (10-7) on Tuesday.

The 2A Region 3 championship match will be at 6 p.m. on June 3 at the highest remaining ranked team’s home field.

In the second minute of play, senior Peyton Maher bent it like Beckham. Maher’s corner kick for Newton went up and curled into the net at the far corner.

Maher added two penalty kicks — one at the 37:25 mark and one at the 8:59 mark — to push Newton’s lead to 3-0. Freshman Brynn Cazett netted a goal with 6:41 remaining in the first half.

The Cardinals held a 4-0 halftime lead.

Cazett made it 5-0 with 31:35 remaining in the second half. There it sat for more than 31 minutes.

Newton substituted throughout the match keeping fresh legs in the entire game.

While Newton freshman goalkeeper Aurora Nehring wasn’t too busy in the game, Trojan junior goalie Maryanne Marks felt the pressure.

Marks made several strong saves for South Tama as the Cardinals kept sending the shots toward the goal.

Unofficially, Nehring had three saves for Newton. Marks gave way to a Trojan teammate in the goal with 17 minutes left in the game.

As the final minute began to tick off the game clock, the Cardinals lined up for another corner kick. Maher sent the ball in high and Cazett headed the ball into the net.

Maher and Cazett each had a hat trick — three goals.

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