Class 1A number 8 Greene County defeated St. Albert (Council Bluffs) on Monday night in Grand Junction in a Substate 8 quarterfinal boys soccer match. The Rams improved to 12-5 while the Falcons fell to 2-16. Coach Carl Behne’s team hits the road tomorrow for a 6 p.m. Substate semifinal vs. Riverside at Oakland in eastern Pottawatamie County. The Wednesday night winner moves on to the Substate final at 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, also in Oakland.

The Rams entered the night with Iowa’s leader in goals scored and points scored in Junior Gutierrez. Luis Velazco was tied for eighth in the state in goals scored when the night began, and both got into the scoring column. Gutierrez scored five goals to give him 51 on the season, while Velazco has 25 goals with one last night. Austin Delp also scored a goal. Isaiah Losee, Nathan Black, and Gutierrez each had an assist.

Goalkeeper Cael Fisher went all 80 minutes and collected five saves. The lone goal came with 5:23 to play and the Rams up 6-0 at the time.

Greene County led just 1-0 at the half on the first of Junior’s five goals. Four goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half put some distance between the two teams.

Coach Behne told Raccoon Valley Radio he was very pleased with the way the Rams played up and down the lineup, and is happy about moving on in the postseason. Riverside is 12-3 and is tied for 13th in the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association poll. They won 4-0 at home on Monday night vs. Logan Magnolia.