4A/3A state soccer: Centennial girls finish perfect season — PHOTOS
Centennial’s Alexandra Miranda saw an opportunity midway through the second half Saturday, and she knew she might not get another.
With the game deadlocked in a scoreless tie, the sophomore midfielder found herself with the ball 20 yards from the goal. She fired just above the reach of Galena goalkeeper Elizabeth Mehrtens, and that was all the Bulldogs needed to finish off their perfect season.
Miranda’s goal held up to give Centennial (23-0), the Southern Region’s top seed, a 1-0 victory over the Northern champion Grizzlies (18-4-3) in the Class 4A state championship match at Cimarron-Memorial.
“We were frustrated,” said Miranda, whose team had failed to convert several quality scoring chances. “I knew we just needed to make opportunities, and eventually we’d get it in. And then it happened so fast. It was so exciting.”
Though the Bulldogs had scored five or more goals in 15 games heading into the title game, they also had logged 10 consecutive shutouts.
Centennial coach Miranda said he trusted his squad to pull through in a close one.
“Our defense has always been strong,” he said. “I trusted they were going to keep us in the game.”
But with his goalkeeper out of the box in the game’s final minute, the coach watched as a scrum ensued just feet from the open net. With seconds remaining in regulation, Centennial’s Natalie Sligar was able to clear the ball, and the Bulldogs held on.
“I thought that was the tie,” Manleo Miranda said. “I thought we were going into overtime.”
Natalie Penniston-John had the game’s only assist for the Bulldogs, and goalkeeper Madelyn Hartman logged the shutout.
Class 4A boys
■ No. 2M Canyon Springs 2, No. 1M Liberty 1: At Cimarron-Memorial, Cristian Marmolejo scored a goal 10 minutes into the first half, and the Pioneers (19-2-2) never looked back on the way to a championship victory over Mountain League champion Liberty (22-3).
Canyon Springs coach Malcolm Griffin, whose team was eliminated early in the postseason last year, said his players set out to prove themselves.
“Last year’s failures set the tone for us this year,” he said. “This year it was a matter of focus and attention to detail.”
That focus paid off, as Osbrayan Verdugo scored on a penalty kick early in the second half to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead.
“It was very nice to get out on top,” Griffin said. “We really stressed being able to make an impact right off the bat.”
Joseph Gonzalez scored from close range with 22 minutes remaining in the second half to cut the Patriots’ deficit to 2-1, and they had several good looks down the stretch. But Canyon Springs’ defense held off several potential game-tying shots for the win.
Class 3A
■ No. 1N South Tahoe 2, No. 1S SLAM Academy 1: At Dayton, the Bulls (20-3) were denied the championship with a close loss to the Vikings (20-4-2).
In an all-Northern 3A girls final, South Tahoe defeated Truckee 5-0.
Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.