After long wait, Coronado ready for area final

That is, after the Cougars survived a scare from Rancho in the Sunrise final, winning 3-2 with a 4-3 edge in penalty kicks.

After eight days off while the Sunset tournament was re-started, Coronado finally takes the field again when it faces Centennial at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Bettye Wilson Park.

“It’s exciting to be in the final game,” Coronado coach Dana Neel said. “All the other teams kind of scrambled to get there. I think we’re well prepared to execute.”

Before the thriller against Rancho, the Cougars (16-1-2) eliminated Valley 2-0 and Silverado, 4-1.

But Coronado had to wait a full week to learn who its opponent for the Southern Nevada title game would be.

Arbor View and Shadow Ridge originally advanced to the Sunset final on Feb. 26, but Shadow Ridge was later found to have used an ineligible player during a Jan. 28 game against Legacy.

Shadow Ridge wound up forfeiting that game, which changed the Northwest League standings and, in turn, the postseason pairings after games had already been played.

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association reshuffled the bracket, and Arbor View and Shadow Ridge returned to the quarterfinals.

Neel said there are benefits and drawbacks to the extra time off.

“You could look at the positives and the negatives of it,” she said. “The last game we had went overtime, so we had time to heal and refresh.

“We’re also looking at the extended time between games to keep focused, but with this being the final game, it naturally kept them focused.”

In their only other meeting this season, Coronado and Centennial tied 0-0 on Dec. 9.

“They’re a team that’s similar to our style of play,” Neel said of the Bulldogs. “You’re going to see a controlled game from both teams.”

Defending Southern Nevada champion Centennial (17-2-1) benefited from the NIAA’s ruling, having been revived from a 3-0 Sunset semifinal loss to Arbor View.

The Bulldogs took advantage with a 3-1 win over Shadow Ridge in the new semifinals Thursday and a 2-0 win over Bishop Gorman — which was also re-instated — in the Sunset final Monday.

But much has changed since the two teams met Dec. 9, in Coronado’s season opener.

After the initial playoff ouster against Arbor View, the Bulldogs dropped Utah signee Ashley Mosley from midfield to defense.

The switch has paid off, with Centennial allowing only one goal in its past two games.

“Her athleticism and brains back there make a huge difference to keep the defense calm,” Bulldogs coach Emmanuel Ayim said of Mosley.

“We’ve had to refocus, straighten up a few things. We learned from the Arbor View game, and now this is the end result.”

Centennial midfielder Julie Owens would not be surprised to see another close game.

“It’s going to be a good game,” said Owens, who has signed with UNLV. “We played them in the preseason and tied 0-0, so it’ll be back and forth. It’s going to be a good one like (Monday).”

Whereas Centennial will be gunning for its fourth Southern Nevada crown, Coronado is still looking for its first.

“It’s huge,” Neel said. “We feel like we’re a bit overlooked, but we haven’t ever come away with any titles.”