By LOU MARTIN
The Progress
The Virgin Valley High School Boys Soccer team played their best soccer of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 27 in Mesquite. But the Bulldogs still came up short against Moapa Valley High School before a huge senior night crowd.
The Pirates won the game 4-3 putting the team into its first-ever appearance in the Southern Region Playoffs this week.
Moapa took it to the Dawgs early in the match as they controlled the ball on both sides of the field.
Moapa took a 1-0 lead 7 minutes into the match on a long, 35 yard goal shot from Pirate striker JC Solis.
VV countered with a goal shot from Leonardo Calleros which sailed right off the net.
Bulldog goalkeeper Steven Moreno’s play in the net kept the Pirates in check until late in the first half when Radley Tobler made a direct kick outside the box into the right corner of the goal to increase the Pirate lead to 2-0.
Bulldog Alejandro Rivera goal shot went high as the Dawgs increased the pressure on the Pirates defense. The Bulldogs had an opportunity to cut the Pirates lead but fell short on a goal shot in the box as the first period clock ran out.
The Pirates pretty much controlled the ball in the first period as the Bulldogs had some looks but could not finish and strike goal.
The Pirates began the second half scoring with a long assist to Jimmie Ward who was open in the box and scored the goal to increase the Moapa lead to 3-0.
Bulldog temporary coach, Scott Trimming called a timeout exhorting his team to attack the Pirates defensive side. The words worked as the Dawgs came out firing, scoring a goal off the foot of Adrian Rosales 25 minutes into the second period.
Bulldog Rivera followed with a long dribble through the Pirates defense but his goal shot went off the goal posts. Minutes later, Danny Isidro’s free kick from 30 yards out struck goal, cutting the Pirates lead to 3-2.
The Bulldog defense led by Isidro and Andrew Muniz set up another goal attempt by Rivera which struck all net to tie the match at 3-3 with 7 minutes remaining in the match.
“Virgin Valley made a great comeback and were able to possess the ball for the majority of the 2nd half,” said MVHS coach Randy Tobler. “But we had some big plays and a lot of take-aways from Radley Tobler, Jimmie Ward and Nickolas Gaerber that helped get us through the Virgin Valley run in the second half.”
In the final minutes, the Pirates recovered their offense. Miguel Rios found the goal for the Pirates with 5 minutes remaining to take a 4-3 lead.
Emotions peaked as the teams battled with less than two minutes remaining causing a mix up between a Pirate and a Bulldog and forcing an ejection on each side.
The clock ended the match minutes later as the Pirates took back the Battle of the Valleys Cup.
“The kids played their best soccer of the season,” said Trimming of his Bulldog team. “If I had to pick a valuable player of the game it would be freshman Steven Moreno who had eight saves.”
Tobler said that he was proud of all of his players. “We were able to get the cup back and make the playoffs for the first time since Moapa has been in this league,” he said. “We have had to work together as a team with very little varsity experience.”
The Bulldogs finished the season with a 2-9-1 record.
The Pirates completed the regular season with a 4-9-1 record and a bottom rung #8 seed in the Regional Playoffs this week.
The Pirates will face Cheyenne on Monday at Bettye Wilson Park in Las Vegas at the first round of the playoffs. That game was played after The Progress press deadline so results will be reported in the next edition.
Cheyenne sits at #1 in the Desert Division with a record of 7-1-0.
