The fifth-ranked Washington boys soccer team was in for a little bit harder fight than they realized on Wednesday in their windy Class 3A substate semifinal game at Kingston Stadium.

Just 12 days after beating Dubuque Senior 7-0 on the same field, the Warriors (15-3) found themselves in a tussle with the Rams (4-15). Washington sneaked in a goal in the closing minutes of the game for a 1-0 victory.

“I think the kid may have come in a little too relaxed,” said Coach J.P. Graham. “Things change when you get up a goal or two on somebody, then the whole atmosphere of the game goes. But when the team feels like they have a chance they continue to play well and play harder.”

The Dubuque Senior team seemed to be making sure that Washington couldn’t open up that lead again, playing a defensive style othat included nine and at times 10 players in the box defending.

Although Washington dominated the play and had nearly all of the dangerous opportunities in the game, Senior was able to keep them out of goal for almost all of regulation.

“Usually when teams try to pack it in a little bit you just try to get the ball out wide and swing it in," Graham said. "But on a windy day like this, when the ball is blowing out of bounds and it’s hard to get it up field, it makes it hard. We didn’t pass very well, either."

The Warriors were finally able to break through the Rams defense and take the lead off of a beautiful corner kick from Daren Mangold that went right in front of the goal and eventually found the head of Charlie Parks, who promptly directed it into the net for the game's only goal.

Washington will face No. 15 Waterloo West at 10 am on Saturday at Kingston Stadium in the substate final. The winner advances to the state tournament, June 2-4 at Des Moines.

Waterloo West is 11-8 after beating Linn-Mar, 3-0, Wednesday night in Waterloo. Washington beat West back on April 23rd by a score of 2-1.

Washington 1, Dubuque Senior 0
Goals -- Washington: Charlie Parks (77th min).  Assists -- Washington: Daren Mangold