Kofa shuts out Perry 1-0 in Open Division first round, advances to face Catalina Foothills

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Kofa Kings protected their home field Tuesday night, edging Perry 1-0 in the first round of the Open Division playoffs to keep their postseason run alive.

The 15-seeded Kings welcomed the 18-seeded Pumas from Gilbert and wasted little time setting the tone. Senior standout Leo Rodriguez delivered the game’s lone goal early, converting on a penalty kick to give Kofa a 1-0 advantage.

From there, it became a defensive battle.

Perry pushed hard for an equalizer, but Juan Gael Rivas helped anchor the back line, coming up with a key clearance to keep the Pumas off the board in the first half. In the second half, Rodriguez nearly added an insurance goal, but Perry goalkeeper Caleb Patriarche came up with a strong save to keep it a one-score game.

Kofa goalkeeper Josue Solis and the Kings’ defense made sure that wouldn’t matter.

Solis recorded multiple saves in the closing minutes to preserve the shutout, while the Kings’ back line consistently disrupted Perry’s late attacking chances. Head coach Jamie Nicewander said the composure his team showed down the stretch reflects the growth of a veteran group that has gained valuable experience over the past two seasons.

“You can see the guys playing really calm and playing really quick,” Nicewander said. “A lot of one- and two-touch passes, combining well. We worked a lot on that in practice, and it showed tonight.”

Nicewander also pointed to the development of his senior class, many of whom were starters as juniors last season.

“Last year we had quite a few juniors starting,” he said. “Now they’ve had that experience playing top teams in tournaments and in the playoffs. That’s helped them tremendously. And now those guys are seniors.”

While Rodriguez continues to be a focal point of the offense, Nicewander emphasized that this year’s team isn’t relying on just one player.

“It’s not just Leo carrying the weight,” he said. “Other guys around him are making runs, opening up options and creating space. That’s making a massive difference for us.”

The win also marks a step forward for a program that exited the Open Division in the first round a year ago.

“This group of boys has had a great year already,” Nicewander said. “But we’d like to finish up with something more special.”

Kofa now turns its attention to Friday, when the Kings will travel to face Catalina Foothills in the next round of the Open Division playoffs.