SUNRISE BOYS SOCCER: Carnahan, Falcons upend Pioneers in OT

Michael Carnahan seemed to find himself in the right place at the right time on Tuesday night.

And that saved the season for Foothill's boys soccer team.

Carnahan scored twice, including the winner in the opening minute of the second overtime period, to give the Falcons a 3-2 victory over Northeast League champion Canyon Springs in the Sunrise Region quarterfinals at Bettye Wilson Park.

"We started off the season really well. We came to league, and I don't know what happened, the team clicked off," Carnahan said of the Falcons, who finished fourth in the Southeast League. "We started to peak at the right time, and getting this win just makes all the hard work worth it."

After playing 15 scoreless minutes of overtime, the teams switched sides and Foothill (10-9-1) immediately applied the pressure. Reagan Mugume made a long run and was able to get off a shot. The ball deflected right to Carnahan in the middle of the box, and the senior put away the winner.

"I knew he was going to shoot it or try to cross it, and I knew it wasn't going to go in, so I was kind of just waiting toward the middle of the goal," Carnahan said. "The ball just fell, and I just finished it."

Carnahan and Mugume hooked up in the second half to put the Falcons up 2-1. Mugume served a free kick ahead into the penalty area. As Canyon Springs' goalkeeper came out to field the ball, Carnahan stretched out and got a toe on the ball, and it went between the keeper's legs for the go-ahead goal 12 minutes into the second half.

"I barely got my toe on it, and the keeper, it was going right into his hands," Carnahan said. "I stretched, hit the tip of my boot, drove it down right under his legs and in."

Canyon Springs (13-2-3) was able to force overtime when Edgar Donate was taken down in the penalty area in the 71st minute. He placed his penalty kick just under the crossbar to tie the game.

The Falcons took the lead with a minute to go in the first half when Rony Estrada slipped a pass ahead to Carnahan. His shot went off the right post, but Devan Henriott was there to knock home the rebound for a 1-0 advantage.

Canyon Springs tied it four minutes into the second half, when Donate placed a free kick perfectly for Juan Covarrubias, who headed it home to tie the game, 1-1.

Foothill plays Coronado (9-6-3) in the semifinals at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Bettye Wilson.

Eldorado 2, Las Vegas 1 — Bryant Juarez scored with five minutes to play to give the Sundevils the win over the Wildcats.

Las Vegas had numerous chances in the second half with nine shots but was unable to score the go-ahead goal.

Eldorado finally got a good opportunity when Eddie Mercado made a move down the left side and crossed to Juarez, who was able to knock it past the goalkeeper from short range for the winner.

"I thought it was going to be a dead ball by the time the goalie was going to get it," Juarez said. "But I still fought for it and took that before he grabbed it.

"I got the foot on it and barely tipped it in."

Isaac Hernandez made eight saves to help keep Eldorado in the game. Las Vegas had a pair of great chances on a counterattack with about 15 minutes to play, but Hernandez was able to turn away both.

"He had some nice saves, and he's playing on a bum knee, too," Eldorado coach Gerald Pentsil said. "He really gutted it out for us."

The Sundevils took the lead early when Mercado was taken down in the box in the third minute and then put his penalty kick inside the right post.

But Eldorado gave that back when they committed a foul in the penalty area in the fourth minute of the second half, and Randy Casas made the penalty kick to tie the game.

The Sundevils (7-9-2) play Green Valley (23-2-2) in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Green Valley 3, Valley 2 — Braydon Lopez scored on a free kick in the game's 49th minute to break a 1-1 tie, and the Gators held off the Vikings.

Elyjah DeLeon added a goal in the 64th minute to make it 3-1, and Green Valley was able to hold on.

Alex Gibson scored in the first half for the Gators.

Anthony Marquez and Andy Gonzales scored for Valley (4-6-2).

Coronado 1, Liberty 0 — Michael Ocoro scored in the 65th minute to give the Cougars the win over the Patriots.

Goalkeeper Harrison Skinner earned the shutout. He stopped a penalty kick and the ensuing rebound early in the second half to keep the game scoreless.

Liberty finished 4-14-1.