Samuel Sadow had Des Moines Hoover keeper Amisi Bisa scouted.
The Ames boys soccer team had made a successful run down toward the Hoover goal when Bisa gathered the ball and made a decision to clear the ball. It was the wrong decision.
Sadow stepped right in front of the ball as Bisa cleared it out and intercepted it. He got the ball 15 yards in front of the goal and easily fired a shot past Bisa and into the net.
The score helped the Little Cyclones knock off the No. 3 team in Class 3A, 2-1, for its biggest win of the season.
“We studied them and we knew that we could pressure their defense,” said Sadow. “I was very happy that I got that opportunity and I was able to put it away.”
It was the second goal of the season for Sadow, and it helped Ames snap a three-game losing streak to improve to 4-4-3 on the season.
Ames had lost by three goals to Ankeny, two to 4A No. 7 Des Moines Roosevelt and one to both 3A No. 5 Norwalk and 4A No. 9 Des Moines Lincoln. The Little Cyclones also tied Ottumwa, Des Moines North and Dowling Catholic.
They were due for a big win against a ranked team.
Sadow was happy to help make it happen.
Sadow started playing soccer when he was young. He was not much of a fan at first.
When he was first starting out around the age of five, Sadow said his parents told him that he would just sit down in the middle of the field and not play during games.
It was around the age of 10 or 11 when Sadow really started to embrace the sport. He credited Ames assistant coaches Damien Corrieri and Matt Laczniak for helping him develop a passion for the sport.
“I didn’t really like soccer at the beginning,” Sadow said. “But I’ve had some wonderful coaches who have really helped me improve and find my love of the game.”
As he entered the high school ranks, Sadow had to bide his time. Ames was loaded with talent, graduating 11 players off last year’s team that reached the 4A state quarterfinals.
Sadow got in nine games in 2025. He scored one goal and dished out one assist.
“Sadow was on the team last year and he didn’t get the playing time he wanted,” said Ames coach Ryan McGowan. “Obviously, there were good guys around him. He’s stepped up this year, even from where he was a month ago when we started to where he is now.”
Sadow has started all 11 games for Ames this year. He has spent time both at striker and on the wing.
His goal versus Hoover was his second of the season. His teammates are looking forward to more.
“He’s one of our best strikers,” said Ames forward/midfielder Adam Benbah. “We need him on the field at all times.”
Benbah, senior midfielder/forward Matthais Roettger and sophomore keeper Troy Thayer were the only guys with real quality varsity experience entering the season.
Benbah said games like this will do wonders for Sadow and players like freshman Logan Jones — who scored the go-ahead goal in the second half versus Hoover. Junior midfielders Finnegan Murphy and Owen Meier, junior defenders Dylan Vargas and Joshua Thompson, freshman midfielder Gavin Murphy and sophomore midfielder Jamison Lynch have all made valuable contributions as well.
“Playing against good teams like this, you’re forced to become a better player,” Benbah said. “A lot of players never played against teams this competitive and this strong, but we’re pushing through and we’re learning.”
Ames will close out the regular season with games at 4A No. 2 Ankeny Centennial, at home versus both Des Moines East and Waterloo East, at 4A No. 1 Johnston, at Valley and at home against 3A No. 1 Dallas Center-Grimes.
After the big win over Hoover, Sadow is ready to take on the challenging home stretch that awaits the Little Cyclones.
“We have a lot of promising players, and we’re stepping up,” Sadow said. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: How Samuel Sadow stepping up makes Ames boys soccer a threat in 4A
Reporting by Joe Randleman, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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