Phoenix start fast, but lose momentum vs. North Murray
Sonoraville falls 3-1 in 6-AAA action; Lady Phoenix have big offensive day
The Sonoraville boys got off to a fast start on Tuesday night in their 6-AAA opener against defending region champ North Murray, but they weren’t able to sustain the momentum very long as the Mountaineers sent the Phoenix to a tough loss on their home field.
Sonoraville grabbed a quick lead with a goal in the fifth minute, but the Mountaineers turned the game around from that point on in the first half to rack up three goals and then coast to a 3-1 victory.
Sonoraville coach Hector Holguin said his team was unable to build upon the early positives they created, and North Murray answered with their experience and skill to take control.
“We challenged our guys before the game to play a complete game,” said Holguin. “We’ve played a tough schedule so far so we were definitely ready for a good team like North Murray. They are always tough. Our guys executed the gameplan for the first 15 or 20 minutes, and I think if we score a second goal there early on, it might be a differ- ent outcome. But North Murray did what they do and capitalized on a few of our mistakes. Once they got ahead, our guys put their heads down a little. We kept fighting until the end, though, and we had some chances in the second half. We just couldn’t ever get that second goal.”
Sonoraville (4-4, 2-1 in 6-AAA) put the pressure on as soon as the game started and created some immediate scoring chances. Senior Dawson Holbrook took advantage in the fifth minute when he chipped the ball over the goalkeeper, then caught up with it by beating a North Murray defender to it and depositing it in the back of the net to give his team a quick 1-0 lead.
North Murray started to control possession shortly after that and tested the Phoenix defense. The Mountaineers equalized on a goal from Janson Trejo in the ninth minute. After several more chances were turned away by Sonoraville goalkeeper Adam Schwartz (five saves in the first half), North Murray pulled ahead 2-1 on a goal by Adolfo Garcia in the 26th minute.
The Mountaineers added their third goal in the 36th minute on a corner kick as Kevin Garcia’s pass connected with teammate Marcial Maldonado’s foot and found the back of the net on the back post to make it 3-1.
The second half featured some physical play from both teams, but neither team was able to finish any of their multiple scoring chances. North Murray received a red card just over the midway point of the second half to put them a man down, and Sonoraville gained the majority of possession after that. The North Murray defense and goalkeeper stood up each time they were tested, however, to keep the Phoenix from cutting into their lead.
Sonoraville switched keepers in the second half as well with Lane Moore coming in to relieve Schwartz and making multiple saves.
Holguin said he was pleased with how his team continued to create chances and try to rally back into the game, but sometimes the breaks just do not go your way.
“Our guys never gave up,” said Holguin. “They could have after the way the first half ended, but I’m proud of them for continuing to fight. Sometimes the team that plays the best or battles the hardest doesn’t win. We just couldn’t capitalize on the chances we had, but it’s early in the region schedule and we’re going to come back from his and get better.”
Other players for Sonoraville that had shots on goal were Samuel Garcia, Alexander Soldevilla and Yorlin Piedrasanta.
Holguin said he knows the competition in the region will continue to challenge his team, but all they can do is look to improve every day.
“The region doesn’t get any easier,” said Holguin. “We need to come together as a team and a family. Once we do that, we’ll be a pretty tough team to beat. We’ve got almost a completely new defense after losing some players to graduation last year and an early injury this season. They just need to get minutes on the field to gain experience and improve.”
Sonoraville will visit Trion on Friday at 7 p.m. in a non-region contest. They jump back into region play on Tuesday when they host LFO at 7 p.m.
In the Sonoraville-North Murray girls game earlier on Tuesday: