By Richard Smith
Twitter: @rsmithYWV

In five year, the Dysart Cup boys soccer game between Valley Vista and Dysart high schools has become a Northwest Valley tradition.

Now the rivalry is starting its own tradition. For the second straight year the road team came back to tie in the second half and won the physical cup in an impromptu penalty shootout after full time.

This time, on Dec. 12, Dysart stormed back from a 2-0 deficit at the half to take a 3-2 lead before Valley Vista tied. Then Dysart senior goalkeeper Jesus Reyna stopped two spot kicks to give the Demons the (unofficial) 4-3 victory and (more official) cup.

"It's almost poetic. This was a first-year goalkeeper. He's had a hard time. He came up with a huge save and his second half was so much better," Dysart coach Jose Partida said.

Valley Vista were in position to hold on to the cup following a goal by junior Angel Balderama in the fifth minute then senior Miguel Verdugo's rebound goal after Reyna knocked down his header in the 38th minute.

Dysart needed to find an answer and Partida and assistant (and former head coach) Jonathan Rea switched to a time tested formation.

"We changed our formation because they were getting us on the outsides. They were kind of doing a slingshot kind of thing," Partida said. "We switched to a formation I don't like that much, a 4-4-2, because we wanted to maintain the four back and that's what helped. We took away what was hurting us."

Senior midfielder Jose Mesa played only in the second half and arguably was as big of a key as the formation switch.

He helped spring freshman Augustin "AJ" Orozco in the second half. Orozco's first goal was a chip over a diving keeper. 

"He's so soccer savvy. He's like another coach out there. It was his suggestion to put little AJ up top, the freshman. That was a good call.

In the 59th minute Dysart senior forward drilled the tying goal from just outside the box. 

Eight minutes later Orozco gave the Demons a brief lead. Partida said the freshman is very calm with the ball and coaches felt comfortable putting him up here.

In the 71st minute Balderama knocked in a free kick into the box and tied it. Partida was not surprised as both teams are usually at their best when the cup is involved.

"The passion is so much different for this game. Neither team had won a single game. Just winning the game, and the cup, you need that to build a rivalry. But at the end of the day, they're all friends," Partida said. "They all play together and that's what makes it so more special."

Richard Smith
Associate Editor | Surprise & West Valley Preps
@rsmithYWV

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.