Flores tallies three times in AHS win
Bulldog boys take out Ravens, 3-1
How about an assist from a goalkeeper on a game-winning goal on the first day of the state soccer tournament?
Albuquerque High’s Julian Lucero accomplished that Tuesday afternoon, with the helper on Andrew Flores’ go-ahead goal in the 78th minute of the sixth-seeded Bulldogs’ 3-1 victory over visiting Rio Grande in the first round of the boys Class 5A tournament.
“That’s what state is,” AHS coach Orlando Ramirez said. “The weird stuff happens.”
The middle goal in Flores’ hat trick was certainly the most important one for AHS (15-3-1).
Lucero boomed a goal kick about 75 yards down the field; Flores collected it on the left wing and quickly gained possession before firing a low, leftfooted shot just inside the far post for a 2-1 lead.
He added a penalty kick goal in the 80th minute against the 11th-seeded Ravens (13-6-1).
“Every time I get the ball, all I’m thinking about is scoring a goal for my team,” Flores said. “And that’s all that was in my head when that ball was in the air. Great ball from my goalkeeper.”
AHS plays No. 3 Sandia on Friday at 6 p.m. in the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs beat the Matadors 3-2 on opening day.
No. 12 Atrisco Heritage, No. 9 Volcano Vista and No. 7 Gadsden also advanced Tuesday.
The Jaguars, for the second time in four days, topped defending 5A state champion Rio Rancho, this time 1-0 in the evening.
Edwin Ramirez’s goal in the 10th minute, helped by a defensive lapse, was all the visiting
Jaguars (11-8) needed against the fifth-seeded Rams (15-6).
“When we saw that we were drawn with them, everything we had seen before, we forgot about. This was a new game,” Jags coach Javi Hernandez said. “Winning Saturday meant nothing today. Anything could have happened. They could have mercy-ruled us, we could have mercy-ruled them. That’s how soccer goes.”
The Jaguars are at No. 4 Hobbs in the quarterfinals.
At the Field of Dreams, Ivan Szakacs and Keegan Monnheimer had goals for Volcano Vista (14-5) as it eliminated Centennial. Next is No. 1 seed Santa Fe.
In 4A boys first-round action ■ Tuesday, No. 10 St. Pius, on an overtime goal in the 83rd minute from Frankie Gutierrez, upset No. 7 Artesia 1-0. The Sartans next face rival Albuquerque Academy at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Leo Vaughn crossed to an open Gutierrez in the middle of the field after the Bulldogs’ goalkeeper came out to play the ball.
“We’ve had very close games this year, but we haven’t been able to squeak out any victories in our biggest games,” Sartans coach A.J. Herrera said.
Hope Christian (15-4-1), the 5 seed, scored twice in the second half in a 3-1 victory over No. 12 Miyamura. Eighth-grader Jhojan Davidson had two goals for the
Huskies, including the go-ahead goal in the 46th minute.
Sixth-seeded Highland blitzed No. 11 Bloomfield 8-0 on Tuesday night, as Yahir Jimenez scored four goals for the Hornets.
GIRLS: No. 7 Volcano Vista and No. 8 Rio Rancho won first-round games Tuesday in Class 5A.
The Hawks received goals from Shaylene Sanchez, Emma Lucero, Alyssa Griego and Savannah Gutierrez in a wind-blown 4-1 victory over No. 10 Clovis. Volcano Vista (12-5-1) is at No. 2 Carlsbad on Saturday, as the two meet in the state quarterfinals for the second time this calendar year.
In Rio Rancho, junior forward Maya Romero scored the first and last goals for the Rams in their 3-0 triumph over No. 9 Eldorado. Rio Rancho is at No. 1 Cibola in the quarters. The Cougars have beaten the Rams 10 times in a row.
Romero’s first goal came in the 13th minute. Teammate Kennedy Baugh drilled the ball into the net from about 35 yards out in the 33rd minute, and Romero scored again in the 65th minute against the Eagles (10-6-3).
No. 6 Centennial, which downed No. 11 Albuquerque High 3-1 to advance to the quarterfinals against No. 3 La Cueva, and No. 12 Las Cruces, which upset No. 5 Santa Fe, 1-0, also won Tuesday.
In 4A, No. 7 Valencia ousted No. 10 Bloomfield, 2-1. The Jags next meet No. 2 seed Hope Christian.