Motivated by ring, Tigers finish quest

CLASS 3A BOYS SOCCER GREEN FOREST 2, HARDING ACADEMY 0

BENTON — The glint of Eric Perez’s championship ring flickered as the sun set behind the bleachers on the far side of the soccer field at the Benton Athletic Complex on Saturday.

Green Forest’s first-year coach had worn his jewelry all postseason — he was a player on the school’s last title-winning team in 2014 — and Perez wanted to give his Tigers a reminder of what they could soon own.

“He’s like, ‘Boys, if you keep working hard enough, you’ll get one of these,’ ” senior MVP Allan DeLeon said when asked about Perez’s ring.

In due time, Perez will have a second ring as his Green Forest team completed an undefeated season with a 2-0 win against Harding Academy to capture the Class 3A boys soccer state title. A first-half score from Blut Htoo gave the Tigers momentum early, and a stout defense that had surrendered just eight goals all season withstood a Wildcat attack that logged just one shot on goal over the final 40 minutes.

“I came here to help them win a championship,” Perez said. “I told them, ‘Hey, I’ve been there before. I know how to win it.’ I told them to trust me like I trust them, and I flashed that ring every day.”

It was something Perez had on his mind ever since he returned to Green Forest (22-0-1) this fall. After graduating from the school in 2014, he brought his soccer skills to the football field, kicking for Arkansas Tech.

Once he graduated in December 2019, Perez knew he had to return to the community where he grew into his own. There was that desire to help another group reach the heights he did seven years ago.

And the Tigers had the talent. They’d made the state title game as recently as 2019 but were routed by Central Arkansas Christian 4-0.

So Perez wasn’t surprised to see an anxious bunch early — neither team really settled into the game until Htoo finally poked a ball into the back of the net in the 27th minute.

“My guys had some nerves for sure, especially the ones that hadn’t been in a state championship game before,” Perez said. “But that first goal got everybody going. The whole bench was up and everyone was going after that.”

It was one-way traffic from that point, with the Wildcats starting to bring the pressure in waves. With Ryan McGaha up top, Harding Academy (123-1) continued to throw long balls forward, allowing the junior striker to hold up play and set chances for the likes of Lawson Brooks and Sikan Akapanudo.

“Just not finishing [was frustrating],” Wildcats Coach Caleb Hall said. “We did have probably seven real good looks and we couldn’t capitalize on any of them.”

Green Forest knew what they were getting into. Harding Academy had the size and strength to outmuscle the Tigers, but with so many bodies going forward, Green Forest anticipated a chance to counter.

Eventually, it came in the 75th minute when the Tigers worked the ball forward through Emerson Ortiz — who entered the day with a teamhigh 41 goals but was effectively silenced by the Wildcats — and Pablo Leon. A pass then slid all the way across the 18-yard box and Blu Doh Soh drilled a low shot back across goal, tucking it inside the far post to seal the win.

As the final seconds ticked away, Perez tried to keep calm. When the final whistle blew, he looked for a moment as if he was going to sprint onto the field with his players, reliving the scenes of just a few years ago.

Perez thought better of it, however. He wanted this Green Forest group to enjoy its moment.

He embraced several of his players on the field, and the smile that he’d tried to contain just a few minutes earlier was as wide as could be.

Ring No. 2 will be on its way soon, but that doesn’t mean he’s not hungry for a third.

“It just raises the bar,” Perez said. “I’ve got to continue to work as a coach, get these kids to keep going and hopefully repeat.”