Skyhawks perk up in playoffs

Silverado's girls soccer team didn't exactly finish the regular season in style.

The Skyhawks (10-6-1) lost four of their final five matches and had to settle for third place in the Southeast Division.

On Tuesday, the Skyhawks put those bad memories behind them.

Shelbi Spooner blasted home a penalty kick 15 minutes into the second half and Silverado blanked Las Vegas, 1-0, in a Sunrise Region quarterfinal at Bettye Wilson Park.

"We had some good practices and they rebounded in the final regular-season game to get some momentum heading into the postseason," Silverado coach Jenna Carter said. "We definitely had a team effort today."

Spooner had some of her own bad memories to erase after thrice having the ball in a good scoring area in the first half.

"I had some nice runs and my teammates got me the ball," Spooner said. "We just didn't score."

Spooner took the penalty kick after a teammate was fouled inside the box. She scored with a shot low and inside the left post.

"I looked the way I wasn't going to shoot and then shot the other way," Spooner said.

The Skyhawks dominated the second half, earning six corner kicks and putting three shots on goal. The Wildcats (11-5) never threatened Silverado goalkeeper Samantha Lewis in the half.

"We came out in the second half more relaxed and played our game," Carter said.

Lewis earned the shutout, making two saves.

Silverado will meet Southeast champion Green Valley, the Southern Nevada runner-up for the last two years, in a regional semifinal at 4 p.m. Thursday.

In other Sunrise Region quarterfinals:

• Green Valley 8, Valley 1 -- Kayla Varner scored four goals and had an assist as Green Valley (17-1) took a 5-1 first-half lead and cruised.

Kylie Kochevar had two goals, and Ali Schaefer and Marvelyn Delatorre also scored for Green Valley. Schaefer added two assists.

Paulina Torres scored for Valley (8-7).

• Rancho 3, Basic 0 -- Jahmela Muhammad scored twice to lift the Rams (12-2-2) over Basic (10-8-4) for their first postseason win in seven years.

Katie Greener also scored for Rancho. Yvette Cordero backstopped the shutout.

• Coronado 1, Chaparral 0 -- Veronica Subu broke a scoreless tie in the second half for the Cougars.

Amber Burgess recorded the shutout. Coronado (19-3) will face Rancho in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday.

SUNSET REGION

Arbor View (13-2-3) needed overtime to knock out Spring Valley, 2-1, as Erica Peeples scored on a fantastic individual effort eight minutes into the extra period.

Peeples collected the ball on the left wing near midfield and stormed down the sideline. She curled into the box and fired a shot into the right side of the net.

"She's an amazing player," Aggies coach Jay Howard said. "Going into overtime, she said, 'Pass the ball to my feet and I'll score,' and she did."

Peeples also scored in the first half for the Aggies, who will face Centennial in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Brittany Hofer scored in the first half for the Grizzlies (8-5-3).

In other Sunset Region quarterfinals:

• Centennial 2, Sierra Vista 0 -- Ashley Mosley scored late in the first half and Centennial (15-0-3) spent the entire second half in Sierra Vista's (8-6-2) end of the field.

Bethanie Skelton scored in the second half for the Bulldogs. Jenna Riddle made one save to earn the shutout.

• Bishop Gorman 1, Cimarron-Memorial 0 -- Mariah Hobbs scored in the first half and Gorman (14-2) made the lead stand up. Kaylee Vitale earned the shutout.

• Palo Verde 3, Bonanza 2 -- Victoria Nguyen deflected a corner kick off her back late in the second half to carry the two-time defending Southern Nevada champions past Bonanza.

Palo Verde (14-2-2) took a 2-0 first-half lead on goals by Lauren Dudley and Brittany Sak.

Bonanza (6-7-2) tied the match in the second half on two goals from Sierra Borelli.

Palo Verde will face Gorman in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Thursday.