Gonzalez, Rosa lift Sunset boys to all-star win
Spring Valley’s Ricky Gonzalez wasn’t familiar with his teammates Wednesday, but he made sure to make a good impression and end his high school career with flair.
Gonzalez and Centennial’s Chance Rosa each scored two second-half goals to help the Sunset Region boys pull away from the Sunrise 6-3 in the Green Valley Rotary Club’s 20th annual Southern Nevada Senior High School All-Star Soccer Match at UNLV.
“It felt pretty cool,” Gonzalez said. “It was kind of weird because I didn’t know most of my teammates. I just had to play my game and do what we had to do to win.”
Less than two minutes after halftime, Gonzalez dribbled around several defenders at the top of the box and unleashed a blast that sailed just under the crossbar.
Las Vegas’ Rafael Barajas scored three minutes later to pull the Sunrise within one, but Gonzalez’s second goal shut the door on a comeback six minutes later.
Cheyenne’s Jackson Collins tracked down a long cross from the corner and then spun a ball back into the penalty box that Gonzalez redirected into the back of the net with one touch.
Legacy’s Eric Bojado and Bishop Gorman’s Mike Tonetti each had a goal to help the Sunset to a 2-1 halftime lead. Bojado scored to give the Sunset the lead four minutes into the match, but Tech’s Edwin Lopez tied it in the 19th minute with a rocket inside the far post.
Tonetti’s goal nine minutes before halftime gave the Sunset a lead it didn’t relinquish.
Barajas finished with two goals, including a soaring, last-minute header on a corner kick by Eldorado’s Luis Cruz.
GIRLS
Sunset 8, Sunrise 1 — Palo Verde’s Sila Tuiofea notched three goals and an assist, and Gorman’s Haley Wingender added two goals and an assist to help the Sunset girls rout the Sunrise.
Clark’s Azucena Bernal added two goals, and Centennial’s Sienna Drizin also scored for the Sunset. Green Valley’s Alex Adams scored for the Sunrise.