Junior midfielder Emmarie Becker helped the Ankeny Centennial girls’ soccer team to a 15-4-2 record this season. The Jaguars advanced to the Class 3A semifinals of last week’s state tournament before dropping a 2-1 decision to Linn-Mar (Marion) at the Lied Recreation Fields in Ames.
Becker scored five goals and had four assists on the season. She scored the tying goal with about 8 minutes left in regulation during the quarterfinals against Johnston, allowing her team to eventually post a 3-2 win in a shootout.
Here is some inside info on Becker:
Congratulations on a great season. I know your team didn’t reach its ultimate goal, but are you proud of what you guys were able to accomplish?
Yes, I am so proud of our team and this entire season! We put in the work every single day to better ourselves and the team. I’m also so proud of the way we ended our season with two dominant substate wins and how we were so resilient and never gave up during our state tournament games.
What did you think of the new state tournament venue on the campus of Iowa State University?
I think it’s really difficult to make a judgement on the venue because of all the rain and mud that we had to deal with on Tuesday. But they did a really good job to make the fields the best that they could for Thursday. However, a little part of me will still miss playing at Cownie.
It rained most of the day on Tuesday, and by the time you played Johnston in your first game that night the field was somewhat of a muddy mess. How were the playing conditions?
They were really difficult to play on. Girls were getting stuck in the mud and slipping all the time. It was definitely frustrating having to play a state game on that field, but we did the best we could.
After you scored the tying goal, did you feel like your team had the momentum going into overtime?
We were honestly all relieved after the goal, but we definitely had the momentum for the last part of the second half and all of overtime.
When the game went to a shootout, you put on the yellow keeper’s jersey before taking the Jaguars’ first penalty kick–which was saved by Johnston keeper Delaney Ford. Do you think she just guessed correctly which way you would shoot?
I think she made the right decision during my penalty kick. My shot went high toward the center of the goal, and she stayed in the middle and was able to get her hand on it and make the save.
Do you think the Dragons were surprised when you took over at goalkeeper for the shootout?
I don’t think Johnston knew that it was a different goalkeeper during the shootout. However, their goalie was pretty shocked when I told them that I was taking the first kick.
You then responded with a big save of your own, and your team eventually won the shootout by a 4-3 margin. Did you get nervous at all on the PKs, because it looked like you were just having a lot of fun?
I get nervous when I take a PK, but not when I am in goal. Once my PK got saved, I knew I had to remain calm, but when I was able to save their first kick, I felt a lot better. I was nervous throughout the entire shootout, but every made PK and every save was exciting.
Your team then lost to Linn-Mar in the semifinals on Thursday when Abi Roberts scored on a spectacular shot from about 40 yards away with less than 5 minutes left. Can you describe what happened on that play, and were you surprised when she took a shot from as far away as she did?
Linn-Mar’s goalkeeper played a ball toward the middle of the field, and one of their players flicked it back. I was able to get to the ball, but took a touch and kind of got stuck in a 2v1. Abi was then able to get the ball and take the shot. I’ve played with Abi in the past and knew that she could take quality shots from far away, but I was really surprised she took a shot from that far out.
Top-ranked Waukee Northwest posted a 3-2 win over Linn-Mar in Saturday’s championship game. Did you attend the game, and if so, who did you want to win?
I did attend the game with my teammates, and I was really just hoping for a good game. I have a lot of friends and club teammates that play for Waukee Northwest, so I was really happy for them.
Two of your teammates, seniors Maddison Balashaitis and Ava Martin, were named to the all-tournament team. What will you miss the most about playing with those two next year?
I think I’ll just miss seeing and competing with them every day. Those two, as well as the entire senior class, are amazing people and players that really made the team what it was this season. I’ll miss seeing and hanging out with all of them, but I know that they will do great in the future.
I assume that you’d like to play soccer in college. Have you looked at any schools yet?
I would like to play in college. I’ve talked to and visited several schools, but I have not made a final decision yet.