Coronado boys soccer sets state record for goals in a season — PHOTOS
This dominant Coronado boys soccer season could be remembered for years to come.
The undefeated Cougars, No. 1 in the Review-Journal’s Class 5A rankings, set the state record for goals in a season in the top classification in a 2-0 home win over No. 3 Las Vegas High on Wednesday.
Coronado has now scored 121 goals this season, breaking the Cougars’ own record of 120 in 2017. North Tahoe owns the all-classification record with 158 in 3A in 1999.
Coronado (21-0, 16-0 5A Southern League) has outscored opponents 121-9 this season.
“Our goal this year was to score more goals than last year. Obviously, we did, so we’re really happy with it,” Coronado coach Dustin Barton said.
While most of Coronado’s wins have come easy this year, the Cougars had to work a little harder for the two goals against the Wildcats (13-4-3, 10-4-2).
The Cougars had four shots on goal in the first 10 minutes, but they couldn’t break through against Las Vegas goalkeeper Byron Ayala until their last shot of the first half.
With two minutes remaining, junior Gavin Flickinger, the state’s leading scorer, sent home his 44th goal of the season off a set piece for a 1-0 lead.
The second half looked very similar. Las Vegas changed goalies at halftime to Christian Alvarado Rodriguez, and it took the Cougars another 25 minutes to add to their lead.
On its third shot of the half, Coronado finally broke through again, this time off of the foot of junior Dylan Flores. Coming off of a give-and-go with Flickinger, Flores scored his 27th goal of the season and the record-breaking 121st goal for the Cougars.
The rest of the match was stress-free for Coronado, as the Wildcats failed to record any shots in the half. Coronado junior goalie Logan Pierce recorded his 14th shutout.
With the No. 1 seed in the playoffs locked up, Coronado is looking forward to the postseason.
“We wanted the 1 seed so we get home-field advantage all the way through the playoffs,” Barton said. “In one game we could be out, so we have to keep rolling and doing what we’re doing.”