BOYS SOCCER: Gonzales stays focused, boots Vikings into title game

Valley’s Marco Gonzales came up short on his first shot Friday when the ball dinged the crossbar just three minutes into the match.

But that didn’t discourage the sophomore from firing in shots the rest of the game.

Gonzales eventually converted his kicks, scoring two second-half goals to power the Vikings past Cimarron-Memorial, 3-1, at Heritage Park in a Division I boys state semifinal. Valley (16-3) faces Palo Verde (16-5-2) in the state championship at 10 a.m. Saturday at Heritage Park.

“The first shot I thought was going to go in,” Gonzales said. “But I knew if I stayed focused, I could get one in. Then two goals in the second half, just an amazing feeling.”

Cimarron-Memorial got on the scoreboard first in the 11th minute when Garrick Quackenbush scored on a pass from Eduardo Renteria to make it 1-0.

But Valley, which took eight shots in the opening half, answered on a penalty kick from Eric Sanchez in the 20th minute. Gonzales set up the penalty when he was tripped by a Spartan defender in the box. The even score stood at halftime.

Gonzales, the team’s second-leading scorer, wasted no time putting the Vikings ahead in the second half. In the 43rd minute, he converted the go-ahead score and added an insurance goal nine minutes later.

After running past two defenders, Gonzales received a pass from Sanchez to force a 1-on-1 matchup with Cimarron goalkeeper Richard Crews. Gonzales gracefully sent the ball over the head of Crews to make it 3-1.

“Everything just happened so fast,” Gonzalez said. “I know always to relax in front of the keeper. I just saw him going to the ball and I knew he was going to go down, so I lifted it over.”

The duo of Gonzales and Sanchez proved to be too much for the Spartans, who were under constant duress from the two standout forwards.

“That’s what they do,” Valley coach Angel Pantaleon said. “They do their thing. They’re some amazing players. It’s something we’ve been doing throughout the whole year. We put pressure on the other teams and the goals (eventually) just go in.”

Said Gonzales: “I wish I could play on the same club team as him. I just wish the best for him (in the future). But let’s make the best out of this (now).”

Crews made six saves for Cimarron (16-5-2).

“(Valley) is a good team,” Cimarron coach Mark Bailey said. “If they win tomorrow, there’s no shame in that. They definitely played better than us.”

Palo Verde 4, North Valleys 2 — Nolan Sherwood and Austin Manthey each scored two goals to lead Palo Verde past North Valleys at Heritage Park.

Sherwood also had an assist for Palo Verde, which led 3-1 at halftime.

“Nolan steps up on the big matches,” coach Garry Shackley said. “He’s a quality player. People have difficulty dealing with his pace. He strikes a good ball and he’s a natural finisher. All around, he’s a tremendous player.”

Jaden Ketelsen assisted on the team’s first two goals as Palo Verde took a 2-0 lead after just 15 minutes.

“We came out fast,” Shackley said. “We really got at them early on, scoring two fabulous goals. Great incisive through balls from Jaden Ketelsen. Great vision, and good finishes from the two players.”

Brian Barrera and Hugo Garcia scored for North Valleys (21-5-1).

DIVISION I-A

Chaparral boys soccer coach Eric Rolwing did his research before Friday’s Division I-A state semifinal game, and it paid off big time.

Rolwing, who had learned that his team’s opponent was among the top defensive squads in the state, threw an extra attacker into his offense in the first half. The strategy yielded two first-half goals, and the Cowboys held on to beat Sparks, 2-0 at Heritage Park.

“We were prepared for them,” said Rolwing, whose squad will face Truckee for the championship at 10 a.m. Saturday. “And we attacked them more than they attacked us.”

Senior forward Carlos Hernandez scored on a header from 12 yards out eight minutes into the game to put Chaparral ahead, 1-0.

The Cowboys’ second goal occurred on a fluke play in which senior defender Lester Izquierdo’s inbounds throw deflected off a defender’s head and caromed into the net in the 26th minute.

Rolwing said execution was the key.

“We were ready for them, but we knew it was more about what we do,” he said. “We knew that if we did the things we were supposed to do, good things would happen.”

Chaparral’s defense matched the Railroaders in the second half, and senior goalkeeper Gerardo Skewes earned the shutout with four saves.

Truckee 4, Sunrise Mountain 2—The Wolverines broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of quick goals midway through the second half to earn the other championship berth with a victory over the Miners.

Leo Villa scored three goals for Truckee, the first coming in the 12th minute when he found the ball all alone and scored from close range.

Although Sunrise Mountain’s Jose Arreola tied the score at 1-1 with a goal from 10 yards out late in the first half, Thomas Arnstein scored with 30 seconds remaining in the half to put the Wolverines back in front.

The Miners tied it on an own-goal by Truckee early in the second half, but the Wolverines put it away when Villa scored twice in five minutes midway through the half.

Truckee coach Casey Eberhardt said his team was just waiting for an opportunity to seal the win.

“We tried to play our type of soccer,” he said. “We wanted to be patient, and in those (second-half) minutes, it just kind of worked for us.”

Sunrise Mountain coach Brett Underwood said his team went flat after falling behind.

“We got into panic mode with time running out,” Underwood said. “And some people just lost focus.”