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WEST VALLEY PREPS

Sunrise Mountain thrives, then survives first round battle with Kellis

Posted 2/16/20

Lorenzo Nicolia

"They hit us really hard and fast and we reacted pretty slow. Eventually in the last few minutes we were able to cool it down and control it a little bit," Nicolia said.

"It …

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WEST VALLEY PREPS

Sunrise Mountain thrives, then survives first round battle with Kellis

Posted

In the span of six minutes Feb. 15, Sunrise Mountain boys soccer went from cruise control to almost out of control.

The Mustangs scored three goals in the first 16 minutes of the second half of the 5A first round game against district rival Kellis. A 67th minute goal by Cougars senior forward Emmanuel Robles did not cause concern.

But in the 74th minute a Sunrise Mountain hand ball in the area set up a free kick, which Robles calmly put away. Suddenly alarm bells were ringing.

"They hit us really hard and fast and we reacted pretty slow. Eventually in the last few minutes we were able to cool it down and control it a little bit," senior defender Lorenzo Nicolia said.

No. 13 seed Kellis (10-7-1) kept pressing, picking up two free kicks in the final four minutes but No. 4 Sunrise Mountain (15-1) held on to advance to the quarterfinals.

Fifth-year coach Jonathan Perdomo was filled with pride at how his Cougars battled back in their first official playoff game in 11 years.

"We know losses are hard, but you can't ask for anything else. After watching their performance in the last 20 minutes of the second half, they left everything on the field," Perdomo said. "The progression from when we started, we had a couple losses in a row. This team bounced back and we had six wins in a row."

Few moments in the first half suggested the wild final 40 minutes. The Mustangs had sequences of command, particularly in the middle of the half, but remained a pass away from a dangerous attack.

Kellis focused on defense and occasional counterattacks, with junior forward McKinley Ruiz launching a pair of shots saved easily by senior goalkeeper Connor Frosyland.

"I told my boys that this game will be different than the game we played. The first half, they pretty much parked the bus in the back. We couldn't get that one last touch," Sunrise Mountain coach Bob Hossain said.

Quickly the Mustangs changes the tone of the game thanks to the powerful throw-in of sophomore defender Cayden Geffre.

In the 45th minute, Geffre launched a throw high into the box and senior defender Thaib Abidi leaped to meet it with a header that broke the scoreless tie.

"One thing we always talk about is to move forward and create chances like that. We want to get a corner or a throw in, a set piece like that. It's a huge advantage to have someone like him on the team. It can happen from anywhere. I think he is the top assist guy in the division and then he scores also from direct touches," Hossain said.

Less than two minutes later, senior midfielder Nickolas Newman threaded a through ball to senior defender Logan Guertin, who finished it like a forward for a 2-0 lead.

Then in 56th minute, senior forward Alexander Huguez made, in retrospect, a game-defining play. He stole the ball from a defender along the touchline and slid it across to junior Talon Willeford for a goal and 3-0 lead.

"That was the telling goal, the third goal," Hossain said. "Those two goals changed the whole thing. I was taking my good players out to rest them. My captain Lorenzo said, 'Coach, just put me back in.' After they scored two goals we panicked a bit. Kellis gave us a better game than last time."

That goal proved crucial in the face of the Cougars' rally, which was a miniature version of the larger program's improvement.

Four-year seniors James Childers, Caleb Joseph, Espoir Ntezeyombi and Robles led the Cougars' revival.

Yet Kellis' 3-0 play-in win Feb. 13 at Marana Mountain View proved all the younger players were on board.

"The biggest thing was at the play-in game in Tucson, Manny wasn't there. And we were able to lift the team up and come up with a 3-0 victory. The good thing about this team is that we don't depend on one person," Perdomo said.

Robles and Joseph are the team's leading scorers.

However, Kellis will have a deep, versatile roster back for next year, buoyed by the belief grown during this season.

"We have a strong core coming back. I told them this season couldn't have ended any better. Today's loss was hard but we're very, very proud of our team. We can only wish the seniors a fond farewell," Perdomo said.

This also is a milestone season for Sunrise Mountain, which just qualified for its first quarterfinal following three first-round losses.

The Mustangs will host #5 Phoenix Paradise Valley in the quarterfinal at 6 p.m. Feb. 19.

"It means everything. Coming here four years ago, this was the school I was going to whether the soccer program was good or not. After four years and seeing the hard work pay off, it means the world to us," Nicolia said.