SPRINGDALE -- Springdale High and coach Donald Beeler are off to an ideal start in 7A-West play.
The Bulldogs improved to 2-0 in league action Thursday night with a physical and emotional 2-0 win against rival Springdale Har-Ber at Wildcat Stadium. Springdale moved to 6-1 overall following the win.
Beeler's club capped a perfect week Thursday, grabbing its second conference win in three days heading into spring break.
"You go 2-0 in your first two conference games and you've got spring break so you've got time to get healthy," Beeler said. "That's what we wanted. I'm perfectly pleased with where we're at."
Physical, high-paced play dominated the first half as referees handed out three yellow cards in the opening 40 minutes. Beeler says the advantage, typically, when the two schools get together favors whomever can block out the outside noise and play their style.
Neither side found the scoreboard by halftime and that trend continued well into the second half before the Bulldogs' Jesus Barroso broke the scoreless tie with 18 minutes, 15 seconds left to play.
"With the crowd, and all of the other stuff it can be hard for the kids to kind of settle in and play," Beeler said. "I think we were able to do that in the second half much better than we did in the first."
Then, with just under nine minutes left, Salvador Gonzalez, who netted the first goal in Tuesday's win against Rogers Heritage, set the final score. Following the goal, Gonzalez made his way to the Springdale bench, where he was mobbed in celebration by teammates.
Beeler felt his team's substitutions were a factor in the win as a few Har-Ber players dealt with cramps in the second half.
"I think the difference in this game was the fresh legs," he said. "We were subbing, we had guys who were fit. It may have been the difference in the game; I'm not sure. But it certainly helped."
The rivals played in front of a boisterous crowd that filled a majority of the home bleachers. Fans hung on each and every play during both the girls and boys matches.
"There's always a good crowd. I've seen it a little bit less than that then I've seen it completely full," Beeler said. "The community normally gets out for this. You know, the kids all know each other, play on the same club teams. It's fun."
Springdale returns to 7A-West action March 28 at Bentonville West following spring break. Har-Ber (3-1, 1-1) hosts Bentonville March 28.
Bentonville High 4, Van Buren 1
Rodrigo Mouron completed a hat track in the first half, and Bentonville enjoyed its home opener with a 7A-West Conference victory over Van Buren.
The Tigers (3-0-1, 2-0) did all of their scoring in the first half, beginning with Miguel Wilches' goal with 23 minutes, 32 seconds before halftime. Mouron then delivered his three goals within an 11-minute span despite Bentonville going against the wind in the first half.
Van Buren (5-5, 1-1) picked up an own goal in the second half to avoid the shutout.
Siloam Springs 5, Greenwood 1
Siloam Springs took down Greenwood in a four-goal rout at home Thursday night.
Jack Bos, Noah Slater and Austin Shull each contributed goals, and Christian Marroquin netted a pair of goals in the win for Siloam Springs. Paolo Pradelli scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs.
Sports on 03/17/2017