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Scottsdale Chaparral boys soccer is returning to a championship match for the first time in nine years. Its opponent in the title game — Gilbert Campo Verde — is back for a second year in a row aching to win its first title ever.
No. 5 seed Chaparral won a rugged, carl-plagued match with No. 8 Ironwood, outscoring the Eagles 6-3 in Friday's first of two 5A semifinals at Campo Verde High School.
Campo Verde earned a return trip to the final with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over No. 2 Independence.
Chaparral (13-2-2) scored in the a minute before the end of the first half to break a 2-2 tie. A long pass from CJ Tigrett to a streaking Ethen Cohen was the tiebreaker. During the ensuing reset of play, Ironwood coach Tim Beck was issued a yellow card and seconds later out came a red dismissing him from the contest.
By the time the game ended Ironwood had three players sent off with red cards — one with 10 minutes left to play and the other two in the final minute.
If that wasn't a turning point, a disallowed goal by Ironwood (15-4-2) for offside on a throw-in three minutes into the second half was. Instead of a 3-3 tie, Chaparral maintained the lead and scored in the five mintues later (48th minute). The goal was Trey Gleason's second of the game. making it 4-2.
Ironwood briefly game got back in the game on Mathew Holmes goal in the 68th minute. Just two minutes later Chaparral stole the momentum with an answer by Cameron Chambers. Cohen tacked on one more tally in the 80th minute to send ironwood packing in the semis for the second year in a row.
"We've faced Ironwood so many times, we know what they are going to bring," Chaparral coach Jason Speirs said. "I think when their coach got the red card it took the wind out of their sails."
Ironwood was seeking the seventh state title in program history and riding high after knocking off top seed Queen Creek Saturday.
Ironwood soccer players Kenny Samatar (#9) and Ernesto Osornio (#14) collide going after a ball in the 5A boys soccer semifinal against Scottsdale Chaparral at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert. [Jerry Burch/For West Valley Preps][/caption]
Ironwood soccer players Kenny Samatar (#9) and Ernesto Osornio (#14) collide going after a ball in the 5A boys soccer semifinal against Scottsdale Chaparral at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert. [Jerry Burch/For West Valley Preps][/caption]
