Tigers Bounce Out Of Tourney

PRAIRIE GROVE — Nathan Tyler scored three goals leading Valley View to an opening round 6-0 defeat of Prairie Grove on Thursday, May 9, at the State 4A boys soccer tournament at Batesville.

Jesus Mendoza scored two goals and added an assist for Valley View. Prairie Grove came in seeded No. 3 out of the 4A west matching up against the Blazers, a No. 2 seed from the 4A North.

District Tourney

The Tigers defeated Clarksville in a shootout to win the District 4A West consolation match at Harrison Parks & Recreation Complex on May 4.

Seniors Josh Brant and Asende Lubende along with sophomore Ethan Beason contributed goals for the Tigers. Beason also had an assist.

Clarksville got a pair of goals from sophomore Lu Htoo and another by his classmate, Elijah Holland.

The Tigers went 4-for-4 on penalty kicks during the shootout. Brant, Lubende, junior Francisco Estrada and sophomore Cade Walker each made their kicks to edge Clarksville, which made 3-of-4 kicks.

Junior goalkeeper Zach Ryver recorded 19 saves as well as 2 penalty kick saves for Prairie Grove in the contest.

Prairie Grove earned the right to host a first-round district tournament match against Morrilton on May 1, but had to borrow Lincoln’s turf field due to heavy rain.

That match was tied 1-1 at halftime and a month prior the Tigers and Morrilton went into a shootout before Prairie Grove prevailed on March 29. Prairie Grove coach Darren Chandler noted the Tigers were prepared for a shootout should that occur in the district tournament.

“We had confidence that when they tied it up that if it did have to go into another shootout that we would be good with that, but at the same time, it’s much better to just take care of it in regulation and not have to worry about it,” Chandler said.

The Tigers surged in the second half and won that match in fine fashion by a 5-2 score securing a state tournament bid and moving into the district semifinals at Harrison Parks & Recreation Complex against Dardanelle, a 7-2 winner over Gentry in the first-round.

Dardanelle beat the Tigers 4-0 dropping Prairie Grove into the consolation match against Clarksville.

The Tigers concluded their season with a 15-9-1 overall record, going 5-3 in the 4A West.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Hunting a goal. Prairie Grove senior Asende Lubende penetrates the box looking to score a goal. The Tiger boys reached the District 4A West semifinals and qualified for state in 2019. They lost 6-0 to Valley View in the first-round of the 4A State tournament Thursday, May 9, at Batesville.