Shhh! Russellville ends Searcy run

BOYS

RUSSELLVILLE 2, SEARCY 0

MOUNTAIN HOME – For the first time in six years, a new 6A boys’ soccer state champion will be crowned.

Russellville’s Mason Freeman scored two goals — off assists from Jonathan Miranda and Jaime Duarte — and the Cyclones (14-5-3) defeated the five-time defending state champion Searcy Lions 2-0 Saturday in the semifinals of the 6A Tournament at Bomber Stadium.

“You could tell they started out with jitters,” Russellville Coach Jared Fuller said of his team. “We tried to go do some other stuff today. We went and watched our girls and went to watch our baseball team, and that helped keep our minds off of it a little bit. That was the quietest ride I’ve ever seen from the baseball game, over to here. Nobody spoke, and I said, ‘Come on guys, let’s joke around a little and try to loosen up.’ ”

The game was tied at 0-0 early in the second half when Freeman put the Cyclones up 1-0 with a header off of a free kick by Miranda.

Searcy goalkeeper Anthony Navarro corralled the shot but fell backward inside the left post.

Duarte passed to his right and found Freeman for another goal in the 59th minute.

“We have nine seniors this year, and three of them were key guys,” Fuller said, noting Miranda and Duarte for their stellar play and assists. “[Duarte] that created that second goal – he’s going to get seen by some colleges in the finals, which is great. He wants to go to college and play soccer. If we didn’t have him, that second goal wouldn’t have happened.”

Searcy (13-4-3) outshot Russellville 21-19.

“We started the game focusing on defense with a sweeper behind there, focusing on [Searcy’s Cam Woodruff’s] speed,” Fuller said.

The teams met in last year’s championship game, which Searcy won, and in the preseason this year with a 3-3 tie as the outcome. MOUNTAIN HOME 1, JONESBORO 0

A.J. Smith scored on a free kick in the 71st minute, and the Bombers advanced to the championship game. Brett Brewer made 10 saves for Mountain Home (17- 5), which was outshot 18-15 by Jonesboro (17-8).

GIRLS

RUSSELLVILLE 2, MOUNTAIN HOME 0

Russellville’s Shannon Hocker ended almost 60 minutes of frustration for the Lady Cyclones when she punched a left-footed shot into the net in the 62nd minute.

Ashley O’dell added a goal in the 68th minute for Russellville.

The Lady Cyclones outshot the Lady Bombers 33-5, and the Lady Bombers had their best chance to score denied when Russellville goalkeeper Alexa Sotomayor saved a bouncing shot by Mountain Home’s Hannah Osmon in the eighth minute.

Freshman Kira Bailey made 12 stops for Mountain Home (12-8), while Sotomayor made two for Russellville. SEARCY 1, TEXARKANA 0

Sam Stewart scored off a pass from Micah Tipton in the 47th minute.

Texarkana goalkeeper Brittany Jones turned away 11 shots on goal by the Lady Lions (14-5).