’06 Sunset exit sticks with Cheyenne

Sometimes a loss is just a loss. Other times it becomes motivation.

Cheyenne’s boys soccer players haven’t forgotten their 6-1 loss to Bishop Gorman last year in the first round of the Sunset Region tournament, and the Desert Shields are eager for a better showing when this year’s tournament begins today at Bettye Wilson Park.

“It’s still that little piece that makes you want to play harder so the same thing won’t happen again,” senior goalkeeper Julio Garza said.

Cheyenne (11-3-3) plays Western (6-7-2) in the first round at 4 p.m. today. In other first-round matchups, Sierra Vista (9-1-6) plays Legacy (10-4-3) at 4, Bishop Gorman (11-1-3) plays Palo Verde (8-6-3) at 6 and Spring Valley (5-5-5) plays Centennial (15-2-1) at 6.

The Sunrise Region tournament also starts today at Bettye Wilson. Green Valley (9-4-4) plays Las Vegas (10-2-3) at 4, Basic (8-3-6) plays Valley (7-6-2) at 4, Silverado (13-2-3) plays Rancho (6-6-3) at 6, and Del Sol (8-6-4) plays Eldorado at 6.

Last year Cheyenne entered the playoffs as the Northwest Division’s No. 4 seed, and had to play the eventual state champs in the first round.

This year the Desert Shields finished second in the Northwest, a game behind league champ Centennial.

“I think this year, we have more fun,” senior forward Frank Barnes said. “The practices, we’re not so uptight.”

Coach Jennifer Cann, in her fourth season as head coach, said this team is the first that truly feels like her own.

“Every single player is one of my picks,” Cann said. “The players just clicked together, and they had one goal in mind and that was to go to the playoffs.”

Cann said the team has had injury problems lately, but still thinks the team can achieve postseason success.

“If they go in playing the way I know they can play, I think they’ll succeed, at least in the first round,” Cann said.

Defending Sunrise champion Silverado looks like the favorite again in what should be a tightly contested tournament.

“It’s very, very wide open on both sides,” said Eldorado coach Gerald Pentsil, whose team is the top seed from the Northeast. “The whole thing, the Sunset and Sunrise side, is pretty wide open. It’s anybody’s game.”

The key to advancing, according to Garza, is simple.

“Play your heart out every time, every minute,” he said.

Both tournaments continue with semifinal games Thursday. Both championship games are Saturday, with the winners advancing to the Class 4A state tournament Nov. 9-10 in Reno.

Contact Prep Sports Editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-4587.