Bulldogs’ practice pays off

In practice Tuesday, Centennial girls soccer coach Emmanuel Ayim had his team work on nothing but set pieces for half an hour.

It paid off Wednesday with a Class 4A Southern Nevada championship.

Junior forward Sophie Krauza scored on a header off a corner kick from senior midfielder Julie Owens in the 69th minute, and the Bulldogs held on for a 1-0 victory over Coronado at Bettye Wilson Park.

The Southern Nevada title is the second straight and fourth in the past seven years for Centennial (18-2-1).

"Corner kicks, we work on that frequently," Ayim said. "We believe you can win or lose games on set pieces. And we had a set piece, and we put it away."

Krauza credited Owens, who has signed with UNLV, with putting the ball on target.

"Julie's corner kicks are amazing," Krauza said. "To get it in was amazing."

Centennial sophomore goalkeeper Gretchen Mikulich made the goal stand up with a four-save shutout.

"We had our opportunities," said Cougars coach Dana Neel, whose team finished 16-2-2. "Yes, I wish we would have scored, but I'm absolutely not disappointed with my girls."

Two weeks ago, Centennial thought its season had ended with a 3-0 loss to Arbor View in the Sunset Region semifinals Feb. 26.

But the Bulldogs got a second chance March 3, when the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association reshuffled the bracket in the wake of Shadow Ridge forfeiting a Jan. 28 game against Legacy for using an ineligible player.

That forfeit altered the Northwest League standings and, in turn, seedings for the playoffs after games had been played.

"We didn't ask for it," Krauza said of the second chance. "I was just getting over our loss to Arbor View when I heard about it. But to get a second chance, we took full advantage of it and repeated our title."

No state championship will be contested this season because Northern Nevada plays girls soccer during the fall.

The NIAA has voted three times to move Clark County School District girls soccer to the fall, but the move was blocked before this season by a Title IX lawsuit filed against the NIAA by the parent of a Green Valley volleyball and soccer player.

Ayim and Krauza said they wished they could have had a shot at Northern champion Reed.

"Absolutely," Ayim said. "The NIAA is our governing body; we have to abide by their decisions. But at the same time, sure, it'd be nice to play the Northern champion."

Since the advent of the split 4A titles in 2001-02, no team has won more than Centennial. Reed has three, and Palo Verde and Galena have two apiece.

And that's a sweet feeling for Krauza.

"It blows past the (2008) one," she said. "Just to repeat is amazing. We worked so hard, and we took advantage of the second chance for sure."

Contact reporter Tristan Aird at taird@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203.