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Valley boys topple Tech in semifinal

It's a wonder Terry Pryer has any hair left to pull out or any fingernails left to bite.

The Valley boys soccer coach certainly has one thing, though: a team that knows how to win close games and is headed to a Sunrise Region final.

The Vikings, who have made thrilling matches second nature this season, stopped hearts again Thursday, nipping Southeast League champion Tech 2-1 in overtime in a regional semifinal at Bettye Wilson Park.

Valley (11-4-5) will meet Las Vegas (14-4) in the regional final at 10 a.m. Saturday. Tech finished 12-4-2.

Carlos Flores' unlikely goal three minutes into the extra period touched off a celebration that Pryer described as "pandemonium."

Valley played a long ball up the left side of the field. Flores and a Tech defender got to the ball almost simultaneously, with the Roadrunners player appearing to attempt to clear the ball. It ricocheted off Flores approximately 15 yards from the goal and floated over Tech's goalkeeper and into the net.

"I die a thousand deaths," said Pryer, whose team is 7-2 in games decided by one goal. "I don't know what to say."

Valley took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Julio Borjas early in the second half, but the Vikings received a yellow card to their goalkeeper and a red card to a defender on the same play midway through the second half and had to play the rest of the match short-handed.

On the restart after the cards were issued, Tech's Luis Carranza scored to tie the match, setting the stage for overtime.

Las Vegas 4, Green Valley 0 -- Joaquin Rivas had two goals and an assist as the Wildcats eliminated the Gators (16-2-4).

Ruben Amezcua and Angel Martinez also scored. Goalkeeper Roger Zaragosa made six saves to earn the shutout.

SUNSET REGION

Bishop Gorman 3, Palo Verde 0 -- Desi Allazetta scored in the first half and Jake O'Rourke made five saves to lift the Gaels (19-0-1) in a Sunset semifinal.

Fuzzy Orellana and Michael Merced added second-half goals for Gorman, which was playing without two starters who received red cards in Tuesday's quarterfinal win.

The Gaels will meet Arbor View on Saturday in the regional final.

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

Arbor View 5, Western 3 -- Johnny Mayorga had three goals for the Aggies, who built a 4-1 lead before withstanding a late flurry by the Warriors.

Arbor View (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 Western (10-7-1) scored twice in a span of two minutes to trim its deficit to 4-3. Abraham Navarro, Nelson Ponce and Felipe Medina scored for the Warriors.

CLASS 3A BOYS

Virgin Valley 8, Moapa Valley 0 -- Pedro Carminatti had three goals and an assist for the top-seeded Bulldogs (14-1-2) in a Southern League semifinal.

Will Lara had two goals for Virgin Valley, the No. 1 seed in the tournament for the first time. Joel Medina, Carlos Cano and Miguel Martinez also scored for the Bulldogs, who will meet Boulder City in the league final Saturday.

Boulder City 1, The Meadows 0 -- Daniel Andrades' goal midway through the second half and a little bit of luck in the first half lifted the Eagles (9-2-4).

Boulder City survived a penalty kick in the first half after a foul inside the box. But the Mustangs' shot sailed well over the cross bar. Richard Pappas made two saves to record the shutout.

CLASS 3A GIRLS

Boulder City 2, Moapa Valley 1 -- Tasja Toumasis' goal midway through the second half broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the Eagles (11-4) into Saturday's Southern League final. Melissa Stewart also scored for Boulder City. Ashley Nevey scored for the Pirates (4-11-1).

White Pine 2, Virgin Valley 1 -- Sierra Harris scored twice in the first half for the Bobcats (3-12-1). Kiera Ogden scored a second-half goal for the Bulldogs (6-12-1).

CLASS 4A GIRLS

Faith Lutheran 3, Pahrump Valley 0 -- At Faith Lutheran, Maddy Courvoisier tallied a goal and two assists for the Crusaders in a state play-in game.

Krystal Onyema and Shaunna Lee also scored for Faith Lutheran, and Carson McBeath had the other assist.

Goalkeeper Kelly Zufall earned the shutout for the Crusaders, who will play the North region's No. 1 seed Nov. 13 in Reno.

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