DES MOINES — Top-ranked and defending state champion Norwalk (17-4) wasted little time in asserting themselves Friday in their state semifinal with No. 7 Perry (16-5) by scoring twice in the first 15 minutes en route to a 4-0 victory.
The loss drops the Bluejays into Saturday’s consolation match with No. 4 Iowa Falls-Alden (20-1) at 1:40 p.m. on Field 6. The Cadets lost for the first time this season, 4-2, to Cedar Rapids Xavier (14-4) in the other semifinal. IF-A is led by Spanish exchange student Marcos Vila, who has scored a whopping 58 times this season — 21 more than the second-best goal producer. Logan Steelman has added 32 goals for the Cadets.
Jack Palen put Norwalk into a 1-0 lead only minutes into Friday’s semifinal, with Kasey Leaper splitting two Perry defenders for an impressive score in the 14th minute as the Warriors jumped to a 2-0 lead against a rattled Bluejay squad.
Perry had struggled to sustain possession of the ball against Winterset in their quarterfinal win Thursday and again had similar problems Friday against Norwalk, who received a second Palen score late in the half to take a 3-0 lead into the intermission.
The Bluejays continued to battle, showing no evidence of going quietly despite the lopsided score. However, the Warrior defense swarmed the ball on seemingly every move inside the back half of the Norwalk side of the pitch, allowing few aimed shots on goal.
Kason Crall capped the scoring in the second half, with both sides taking the opportunity to play many reserves the rest of the way.
