No. 1 Storm only higher seed to survive
Cleveland wins in 2 OT while No. 2, 3 and 4 all go down in quarterfinals
SANTA ANA PUEBLO — There were as many overtime games Wednesday (three) in the Class 5A boys state soccer quarterfinals as there were lower seeds who advanced into the next round.
While the top seed, Cleveland, survived — barely — the teams seeded 2, 3 and 4 were ousted at the complex on the Santa Ana Pueblo.
La Cueva fell to Mayfield while defending state champion Albuquerque High was beaten in OT by Clovis. Hobbs, slotted just behind Cleveland, was taken out on a penalty kick in OT by Volcano Vista.
Today’s 3 p.m. semifinals are Volcano Vista-Mayfield and Cleveland-Clovis. No. 1 CLEVELAND 2, No. 9
ATRISCO HERITAGE 1 (2 OT): The Jaguars (13-7) were only a couple of minutes from the upset until junior forward Gabriel Legendre earned the equalizer for the Storm (18-3) in the 78th minute.
And the teams were two minutes from PKs when Jairo Barreras authored an overlapping run from the left, took a pass from Kevin Vidana, who fed from the middle, and pounded home the game-winner from 15 yards out, low and just inside the far post.
“I was heartbroken (when Atrisco took the lead),” said Barreras, a senior forward. “I thought that was it (for us). But we had to push through it and show that we had the heart. It’s an amazing feeling come from down one to win 2-1.”
Atrisco Heritage hadn’t been competitive against Cleveland in either district game they played against each other, losing 5-0 and 4-1. The Storm, however, was forced to bring extra personnel forward at the end of regulation, and a 3-4-3 formation helped Cleveland get the pressure needed to score the tying goal.
“To Atrisco’s credit, they played with a lot of heart and composure,” Storm coach Shaun Gill said. “They attacked us a little differently and a lot more effectively.”
He added: “It was a rollercoaster. We went from being heartbroken to being elated when we tied it, and then grinding it out for 18 minutes in the OT.”
Cleveland and Clovis did not
meet in the regular season. No. 7 VOLCANO VISTA 4, No. 2
HOBBS 3 (OT): Skylor Rose had a hat trick for the Hawks in a backand-forth affair, but it was Isai Rivas’ PK in the 89th minute that shipped Volcano Vista (14-5-1) into the semifinals.
A defender for Hobbs (16-4) was whistled for a hand ball in the box as he tried to stop a point-blank shot by the Hawks’ Mason Cole.
Rivas went low and right for the Hawks, who trailed 2-1 at halftime, then had a 3-2 lead in the second half. Volcano Vista freshman goalkeeper Evan Kowalski also came up with a brilliant save in the second half to keep it square at 3-all.
“We took advantage of our opportunities more than they did,” Hawks coach Billy Thiebaut said. No. 5 CLOVIS 1, No. 4 AHS 0
(OT): All it took was one opening, and it was the Wildcats (18-2-1) who capitalized, as senior Jose Valladares scored the game-winner in the 89th minute for Clovis.
“As soon as I scored,” Valladares said in Spanish through an interpreter, “I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to lay down and cry.”
Clovis coach Greg Trujillo said 1998 was the last time the Wildcats reached the state semifinals.
“It’s a big moment,” said Trujillo. “We come into the postseason and we’re always getting knocked out in the first round. This is new territory.”
AHS (15-3-1) had stellar chances throughout, including a missed PK by Liam Heath-Kennedy’s that clanked off the post in the first half.
“We had an incredible number of chances,” Bulldogs coach Lucien Starzynski said. “Their goalie was absolutely fantastic today.” No. 6 MAYFIELD 3, No. 3 LA CUEVA 2: La Cueva’s Jake Eanes pulled the Bears (16-3) even at 2-2 with the Trojans (15-5-1) in the 41st minute. The happiness didn’t last long.
A minute later, Trevor Suggs of Mayfield untied the game, and the Trojans then had to hang on against La Cueva’s relentless pressure down the stretch.
“There was tremendous pressure,” said Suggs, a junior forward. “I was telling a teammate, ‘We can’t defend like this for another 20 minutes.’ ”
No one was entirely sure the last time Mayfield had reached this round of the playoffs. The Trojans did not face Volcano Vista during the regular season.