Virgin Valley boys hoping to break north’s hex

When the Class 3A Southern League champion Virgin Valley boys soccer team takes to the field on Friday for its state semifinal match, the Bulldogs will try to do something no 3A Southern team has done since the state went to four classes in 1996: win a state championship.

The last team from the area to win a boys soccer state championship in Class 3A was current 4A school Bonanza in 1995. But the Bulldogs will try to break that streak when they kick off against Sparks at noon on Friday in Reno.

Class 3A Southern League girls champion White Pine will face its semifinal opponent, Spring Creek, at 2 p.m. in Reno.

Few Southern Nevada teams have played well in the radically different environment up north.

“Since they realigned in 1996, no Southern team has won a state championship,” Virgin Valley coach Bob Snell said. “None of us can win up there.

“As coaches, we know what we’re getting ourselves into, what we’re headed for.”

The Bulldogs (15-1-2) earned the right to represent the South after coming from behind in a 3-2 league championship win against Boulder City. It was only the second time all season Virgin Valley had trailed at halftime. But knowing the Bulldogs can handle themselves after being behind has given Snell and his players an extra boost of confidence for the state tournament.

“We’ve always talked about how we’d respond if we ever got behind; I think we’ve only been behind once all year at halftime,” Snell said after winning the league championship. “We told the kids, 'look, we didn’t get here by accident; we’re a good team. Just keep playing your game.’”

Virgin Valley has played its game all season. The Bulldogs marched through an undefeated league schedule, and have only lost one game all year — a 2-0 defeat to Class 4A Faith Lutheran in the season opener. Since that loss, they have outscored opponents 89-15 — scoring an average of 4.9 goals per game — with nine shutouts.

Virgin Valley hasn’t qualified for the state tournament since 2003, when it lost in the semifinals to Incline, 7-1. But that doesn’t seem to scare anyone on this year’s squad. In fact, it makes this year’s feat all the more impressive.

“It’s really big,” Virgin Valley forward Carlos Cano said. “This is the first time we’ve been to state since a long time. I think everybody’s proud of each other. We should all be proud of each other.”

But returning to Mesquite with a state title is secondary to what Virgin Valley has already accomplished, according to Snell.

“Our kids enjoy playing soccer and we’re going to give it our best effort,” Snell said. “If we win, great. If not, we realize that the road (is) tough now and we’re going to give it our best effort.”