Clark downs Eldorado to reach 4A state tournament

Considering this is the season to be thankful, Clark’s boys soccer team certainly is giving thanks that it is an even year on the calendar.

The Chargers took advantage of their second chance to qualify for the Class 4A state tournament as junior forward Salvador Bernal notched a hat trick to lead Clark to a 4-1 win over Eldorado in the play-in game Wednesday at Bettye Wilson Park.

Clark (18-2-2) lost 2-0 in the Sunset Region title game to Bishop Gorman, but because this is a year that the state tournament is held in Las Vegas, the Chargers and Sunrise Region runner-up Eldorado (13-3-5) met to determine the third qualifier from Southern Nevada.

Clark now will take on Sunrise champ Las Vegas (14-0-3) in the state semifinals at 4 p.m. Friday at Bettye Wilson. Gorman (17-6-1) plays Northern Region champion Galena at 6 p.m. in the other semifinal.

“We were lucky enough that we had the opportunity to play again,” Clark coach Juan Chavez said. “I think the kids will take advantage of the opportunity as a wild-card seed at state.”

Bernal scored two goals in the first half, including a dazzling long-range blast, before giving the Chargers a 3-1 lead in the 43rd minute. Victor Solis finished the scoring for Clark in the 68th minute.

“We played a good game,” Bernal said. “At the beginning we were a little shaky, but we got together and started touching the ball more and played our game.”

Bernal converted a penalty kick following a hand ball on the Sundevils in the seventh minute. He then gave Clark a 2-0 cushion in the 20th minute when he cut back along the left wing and lofted a ball from 35 yards out that caught Eldorado goalkeeper Alberto Alvarez off his line.

“I’ll admit it, it was a cross,” Bernal said. “I don’t know how it went in, but it just went in.”

The Sundevils started to find room in the midfield and had numerous scoring chances but cashed in just once, when senior Josh Cormier’s blast from the top of the penalty area made it 2-1 in the 26th minute. Clark goalie Omar Magana deflected Omar Diaz’s shot over the crossbar in the 24th minute, and Chargers midfielder Miguel Gonzalez cleared Aldo Flores’ shot off the line on the ensuing corner kick. Eldorado also hit the crossbar just before halftime.

“When you don’t put them away, that’s what happens,” Sundevils coach Gerald Pentsil said. “I’m disappointed we didn’t go any further. We asked them to give their all, and they gave everything they had. We lost to a better team.”

Bernal finished his hat trick after halftime when Magana’s long punt took a bounce over an Eldorado defender and Bernal chipped it over Alvarez. Eldorado then had a goal wiped out in the 53rd minute for offsides, and Magana made a key save on Cormier from point-blank range in the 56th minute.

Chavez now is looking forward to Friday’s match against Las Vegas and a possible fourth meeting with Bishop Gorman in the final.
“I watched (Las Vegas) play against Eldorado, and they’re a really tough team,” Chavez said. “Vegas touches the ball a lot. They’re kind of a mirror image of us.

“I think it will be an awesome match to watch.”