SUNSET REGION: Short-handed Gaels finally make victory look easy

Bishop Gorman’s boys soccer team has been involved in more close tournament matches in the last three years than any Gael could care to count.

Match after match, year after year, the Gaels had found themselves needing to rally to force overtime or even a shootout, needing a break to win.

Even the Gaels were a little surprised Thursday at how easy they could make a Sunset Region semifinal look.

Gorman, playing without two starters who received red cards in Tuesday’s quarterfinal win over Cimarron-Memorial, dominated from the opening whistle en route to a 3-0 win over Palo Verde at Bettye Wilson Park. Gorman (19-0-1) will meet Arbor View on Saturday in the regional final.

Heading into Thursday’s match, nine of the Gaels’ last 11 tournament matches had been decided by one goal with four of those going into overtime.

“Our season has prepared us for this,” first-year Gorman coach Doug Borgel said. “We played a tough pre-season schedule. From the beginning our goal has been to make it to state. These boys are realizing there’s a lot of work left to do.”

Desi Allazetta headed in Ramak Roohani’s cross near the left post midway through the first half to give Gorman a lead it never gave back.

Palo Verde (15-3-1) had trouble matching Gorman’s speed throughout the match.

“Losing two starters really forced us to play more of a hustle lineup, more of a hard-working lineup,” Borgel said. “I don’t think they were ready for that. We surprised them with our work level.”

Fuzzy Orellana scored on a header early in the second half to increase the lead to 2-0, and Michael Merced finished the scoring on a sweet goal midway through the half, booting the ball out of mid-air nearly waist high to score inside the left post.

Jake O’Rourke wasn’t heavily tested, but made five saves to earn the shutout.

Arbor View 5, Western 3 — Johnny Mayorga had three goals, and Arbor View built a 4-1 lead before withstanding a late flurry by Western.

The Aggies (11-4-5) also got goals from Dakota Karas and Nico Johnson and appeared to be in firm control of the match, building leads of 3-0 and 4-1 midway through the second half.

But the Warriors (10-7-1), who upset Northwest League-champion Centennial on Tuesday, didn’t give up, scoring twice in two minutes to trim the lead to 4-3.

A late goal by the Aggies ended Western’s upset bid.

Abraham Navarro, Nelson Ponce and Felipe Medina scored for Western.