San Luis completes sweep of Cibola
Clash of AIA boys soccer Class 6A powers bounces San Luis' way with strong second half
SAN LUIS, Ariz. ( KYMA, KECY-TV ) - The first meeting between the Cibola and San Luis boys soccer teams resulted in the sidewinders escaping Raider Field with a 1-0 victory on January 12th. On Tuesday night, the second meeting of the season shaped up to be just as intense with both teams tied 1-1 at the half.
"After the half San Luis turned up the pressure and we sat back and didn't have a great response," Cibola head coach Bryan Claudio said.
In the second half, San Luis scored goals in the 23rd and 27th minute off the foot of sophomore Misael Meza. Late in the second half Cibola lost senior goalkeeper Gabriel Yanez to injury.
"He is doing okay," Claudio said. "A bit sore."
With Yanez out, San Luis added a goal in the 37th minute when junior goalie Alberto Placencia tried to clear and hit San Luis defender Luis Orozco in the chest. The ball deflected behind Placencia and Orozco raced by Placencia and found the net for the fourth and final goal of the game.
"We played well again but their second goal just took the air out of us and we just kept sinking in quicksand, not able to pull ourselves out," Claudio said. "I am proud of the way we battled, but need to work of being focused and overcoming adverse situations that teams put us in as go forward into the playoffs."
Both teams entered the contest ranked in the top five in the AIA Class 6A polls. San Luis at #2 and Cibola #4. The win improves San Luis to 10-0 in AIA play and 10-2-1 overall. The Sidewinders will end the regular season schedule at Kofa on Thursday.
Cibola falls to 9-2 in AIA play and 13-3 overall. The Raiders will travel to Maricopa on January 28th before finishing their regular season schedule on February 1st against Kofa at Raider Field.
The win for San Luis propelled them to the number one ranking in the newest polls released on Wednesday afternoon. Cibola drops from number four to number five.
