Linn-Mar Girls Soccer

De Leon named Linn-Mar girls soccer coach

Marco de Leon has been named the new girls soccer coach at Linn-Mar High School.

De Leon, who graduated from Linn-Mar in 1998, served as an assistant coach with the Lions since 2010, helping them make three trips to the state tournament. He succeeds Steve Dickinson as head coach.

De Leon was born in Guatemala and moved with his family to the United States when he was 11. He played club soccer in Guatemala and in the U.S.

De Leon graduated from Mount Mercy University, but did not play soccer for the Mustangs. He has been a club soccer coach for FC United since 2010.

Dickinson retires as L-M soccer coach

Steve Dickinson has retired as the girls soccer coach at Linn-Mar High School after 11 years.

Dickinson won four Mississippi Valley Conference titles and made four trips to the state tournament with the Lions. He was named the State Coach of the Year during his career, among other honors.

"Coach Dickinson, along with all the players and coaches on his staff, have helped turn our LMGS program into a top-10 ranked program in the state," said Linn-Mar associate athletic director Tonya Moe. "He bleeds red and black and loves the game of soccer."

Linn-Mar played in the Class 3A state tournament this year.

Olivia Garcia wins Metro Spotlight Award

Olivia Garcia of Linn-Mar is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday night.

Garcia, a senior, has been one of the top soccer players in the state during her entire four-year career with the Lions.

Garcia helped Linn-Mar reach the quarterfinals of the Class 4A state tournament this year. The Lions lost to West Des Moines Valley, 2-1, with 32 seconds left in the second half for a heartbreaking defeat.

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Unlucky Lions fall with 32 seconds left

DES MOINES - Linn-Mar's trip to the state soccer tournaments ended on a stroke of bad luck Thursday night.

West Des Moines Valley's Sami Pick's sent a header into the right corner of the net with 32 seconds remaining to give her team a 2-1 victory in a Class 3A state quarterfinal match at the Cownie Soccer Complex.

The 80th-minute goal came off of a Tiger corner kick that was deflected off a Linn-Mar player's arm prior to Pick's header, and could have been called a hand ball.

"I was on the post and one of my players actually hit it with their arm," said defender Jenna Ajram, who scored the lone Linn-Mar goal in the first half.

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