Senior’s 2 goals propel Eldorado boys to upset of Gorman — PHOTOS
With momentum seemingly even in a back-and-forth match, Eldorado’s boys soccer team was looking for someone to turn the tide Tuesday.
That someone turned out to be senior Henyor Archila.
Archila scored two first-half goals, and the sixth-seeded Firehawks held on to earn a 2-1 road victory over third-seeded Bishop Gorman in the Class 5A Southern League quarterfinals.
Eldorado (10-8-9) now plays at second-seeded Palo Verde in the semifinals at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
“Archila was big tonight,” Eldorado coach David Ostler said. “I mean two goals … he’s a senior in a playoff game. He’s been in the program four years, and he just came up really big in a big moment.”
The game was scoreless until the 31st minute when Archila caught Gorman defenders on their heels on a long pass into the box. Archila beat the defenders to the ball and was able to turn and rip a shot from 15 yards into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
“I saw one of the defenders slip, so I had my chance to go towards the ball, and I took my shot and boom,” Archila said.
Ostler said the goal changed the dynamic of the matchup.
“Coming in, we felt like more of the pressure was on them, so getting that first goal out of the way for us took all the pressure off and I think it put pressure on Gorman,” Ostler said. “So they started playing long, which is kind of what we wanted them to do.”
Archila added a goal six minutes later, catching Gorman’s goalkeeper off his line on a pass that rolled across the goal mouth. Archila was able to slide and beat a defender to the ball, tapping it inside the right post for a 2-0 lead.
“The second one, I went everything on it,” Archila said. “The defender was coming in, too, and I just won a 50-50.”
The Gaels (15-7-1) turned up the heat in the second half, outshooting the Firehawks 8-3. But Eldorado’s defense was able to stand up to the task.
Gorman got on the board in the 66th minute when Chase Stewart, Gorman’s high-scoring forward, was able to control a deflection and tap the ball into the net.
Ostler said the team spent much of its practice time preparing for Stewart, who came in with 39 goals.
“We knew their forward is really good,” Ostler said. “We’ve been practicing all week how to kind of drop with him and try and dispossess him because he’s so dangerous when he gets the ball and he’s quick to turn. So it’s just been like defensive practice all week.”
While Eldorado was able to contain Stewart on the ground, the junior had plenty of chances in the air on Gorman corner kicks. Stewart had six headers on corners that either just missed or were saved by Firehawks goalkeeper Aldair Castelo.
“I don’t know how he does it,” Ostler said of Stewart. “He’s amazing. We put guys on him and it just doesn’t matter, he still wins headers. He’s definitely freaking dangerous.”
Archila basked in the victory.
“This is very special, and this is a big game, too,” Archila said. “(Against) a top team, Gorman, they’re good. I love my team. It was a good match for us.”