SUNRISE BOYS SOCCER: Perez, Lua lift Sundevils to title

Eldorado boys soccer coach Gerald Pentsil might have only one problem with his team this year.

There just aren’t enough soccer balls to go around.

Luckily for the veteran coach, his Sundevils can be awfully good at sharing.

Eldorado’s efficient passing on Saturday set up several scoring chances en route to a 6-2 win over Green Valley in the Sunrise Region final at Heritage Park.

The Sundevils (19-0-2) won their second region title in three years, and will represent the region in the Division I state tournament, which begins Friday in Carson City.

“It is a lot of fun to watch them,” Pentsil said. “We have some dysfunction like any family does, but it is fun when the results are good. They’ve worked hard. I’ve put them through a lot.”

Andres Lua scored three of his four goals, and Chris Perez had four assists during a 13-minute span early in the second half as Eldorado turned a 2-0 halftime lead into a 6-1 advantage.

“Andy is an amazing forward,” Perez said. “All you have to do is get the ball to him, and he scores.”

Lua and Perez have combined for 77 goals and 40 assists this season.

“Most of us have played together for a very long time, since we were small,” Perez said. “We know where each other is going to go, and that makes it easy.”

Israel Hernandez also scored two goals for the Eldorado on Saturday. Both goals were assisted to Edgar Duran, who rose his season totals to 11 goals and 18 assists.

It took the Sundevils nearly 20 minutes to get their first quality scoring chance. Hernandez converted after Eddie Mercado knocked down a goal kick and fed Duran, who sprung Hernandez free for an easy left-footed touch goal.

Hernandez had two more quality chances denied before Lua started his scoring barrage, walking through two defenders to place a shot just inside the right post in the 37th minute.

Just before halftime, Green Valley’s Scott Schofield picked up his second yellow card, forcing the Gators (13-9-3) to play short-handed the rest of the way.

Eldorado quickly took advantage, with Perez and Lua hooking up for two goals in the second and fifth minutes of the second half.

“Coach told us at halftime to come out and score first and just bury them so they won’t have any hope,” Perez said. “And that’s what we did.”

Lua had seven shots on goal, including six in the first 30 minutes of the second half.

German Martinez and Breno Rocha scored for Green Valley.