Sifuentes’ late goal lifts SSHS
■ Siloam Springs defeated Benton 3-2 in the 6A-West semifinals on Thursday.
The Benton and Siloam Springs boys soccer teams gave fans a preview of things to come at next week’s Class 6A state tournament.
Senior Francisco Sifuentes scored in the 72nd minute to break a 2-2 tie and Siloam Springs held on for a 3-2 victory in the semifinals of the 6A-West Conference Tournament in a battle of maroon Panthers at Panther Stadium on Thursday night.
The goal came a little more than 11 minutes after Benton’s Matt Warrick tied the match 2-2 with a goal in the 61st minute when Siloam Springs failed to clear a ball out of its end.
Siloam Springs (17-5-1) didn’t let the late goal get it down though. The home Panthers went right back on the attack and nearly scored on a header from Eli Jackson that smashed off the crossbar and looked like it might have landed beyond the line. No goal was called though and the game remained tied 2-2.
Sifuentes had a good look at a shot that was saved by Benton’s goalkeeper just moments later.
With 8 minutes, 5 seconds left, Sifuentes caught up with a Christian Marroquin pass and finished for the go-ahead goal.
“That just tells you a lot about our kids and their character and work ethic,” said Siloam Springs coach Brent Crenshaw. “When you face adversity, you’ve got to step up to the next challenge. It was 2-2 and we kept attacking. There were some other really
W hen you face adversity, you’ve got to step up to the next challenge. It was 2-2 and we kept attacking. There were some other really good chances that we had and we were able to put one in, which is awesome, especially for a senior. Fransisco Sifuentes, he just decided he was going to beat that guy no matter what it took. Brent Crenshaw SSHS soccer coach
good chances that we had and we were able to put one in, which is awesome, especially for a senior. Francisco Sifuentes, he just decided he was going to beat that guy no matter what it took.”
It was Sifunetes’ sixth goal of the year and Marroquin’s teamleading 11th assist. Crenshaw said Sifuentes was back to form on Thursday after a subpar performance earlier in the week on Monday against Greenwood.
“You know, he didn’t play to his ability the other night, and honestly I questioned even starting him tonight,” Crenshaw said. “But he’s an 18-year-old kid. He’s going to make mistakes. I sat down and talked to him before the game and told him exactly what I wanted him to do, and he did it. I’m glad he did it because he’s such an asset to the team with his speed. He’s just so fast out there.”
Jackson scored the match’s first
goal — and his 10th of the season — in the fourth minute for a 1-0 lead for Siloam Springs, but Benton (15-21) tied the match up in the eighth minute when sophomore goalkeeper Wyatt Church was able to corral a free kick by Aaron Norris.
Marroquin put Siloam Springs ahead 2-1 on a rocket from 35 yards out in the 15th minute, a lead Siloam Springs held until the second half. The strike was Marroquin’s team-leading
16th of the season.
The match was similar to Siloam Springs’ 3-1 victory over Benton in the Class 6A state semifinals a year ago in El Dorado.
“We knew it’d be a battle,” Crenshaw said. “They’re a very good team. They’ve got really good players in the midfield, up top. In the back we thought they were a little questionable in some spots, and we were able to isolate those spots tonight, I think. But it was a battle. Our kids battled hard.”
Benton head coach Bobby Winn agreed.
“Man, it was a hardfought win for them,” Winn said. “They did a great job winning. We came out and I was worried about the long drive maybe getting us worn down quite a bit. It took us a couple of minutes to settle in. I thought we really settled in. We stuck to our game plan and just tried to possess the ball through the midfield and when the open shots were there, take them and finish them off. And we did. Getting two goals, working inside the 18 isn’t how we planned on it, but man they’re a good team. They’re just really good.”
With the victory, Siloam Springs advanced to the 6A-West Conference finals on Saturday night at Russellville, which defeated El Dorado 7-1 in the other winner’s bracket semifinal on Thursday. Results were not available at presstime.
Siloam Springs also assured itself of a firstround bye in the Class 6A state tournament, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday at Panther Stadium and Sager Creek Soccer Park in Siloam Springs.
Benton, meanwhile, hosted El Dorado in the third place game on Saturday. That result also was not available at presstime.