FORT SMITH -- Springdale Har-Ber beat Conway 2-0 on Friday and advanced into the Class 7A boys state semifinals for the second consecutive season.
And, like last year, the Wildcats (17-3) will face rival Springale with a trip to the state finals on the line.
CLASS 7A BOYS
STATE SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Today’s matches
Semifinals
Rogers High vs. Rogers Heritage, 10 a.m.
Springdale High vs. Springdale Har-Ber, noon
In the day's first match, host Fort Smith Northside, the 7A-Central's No. 1 seed, fell to Rogers Heritage, 2-1, in overtime. Har-Ber, the West's No. 1 seed, cruised against Conway (11-11-1).
"It would have been a lot nicer if we could have put away some of those early chances," Har-Ber Coach Cory Butler said. "But that last (goal) was good because it gave us a chance to rest a few players and be a little more at ease."
Esteban Fuentes and Ivan Fuentes keyed Har-Ber's quarterfinal victory, with top goal scorer Jesus Zuzumbo out of the lineup. Esteban Fuentes scored late in the first half, taking a pass from Ivan Fuentes in the box and finding the net.
The score stood until late in the second half when Ivan Fuentes sealed the victory in the 68th minute.
"He's pretty quick," Butler said of Ivan. "Once he gets going it's hard for them to catch him. He got a good first step and got around the guy and finished it."
The victory was the Wildcats' eighth shutout and fourth in their past five matches. Har-Ber and Springdale are tied for the fewest goals allowed (12) in conference matches this season.
"The defense is playing solid. They're playing smart," Butler said. "They're playing composed and not giving other teams many chances, and it's helping us offensively with them playing as well as they are."
Springdale's victory against Little Rock Catholic assured today's semifinals would consist of all 7A-West teams for a second consecutive year.
Har-Ber and Springdale kick off at noon today for a spot in the state championship match. The teams split two conference meetings during the regular season with the visiting team winning each match.
ROGERS HERITAGE 2,
FS NORTHSIDE 1 (2OT)
Pedro Garcia and the War Eagles (14-5) stunned host Northside Friday at Mayo-Thompson Stadium to advance to the class 7A state semifinals. Heritage will face Rogers High today at 10 a.m.
Garcia found the net for his second goal 6:35 remaining in the second overtime period. The senior forward tied the match 1-1 in the 51st minute after the Grizzlies carried a 1-0 lead into halftime.
Garcia has four goals in Heritage's two state tournament victory. Northside's season comes to a close at 19-3.
ROGERS 1, BRYANT 0
Mounties junior Willie Hernandez's goal in the 52nd minute held up, lifting Rogers (14-5) over Bryant (12-8-1) and into today's state semifinals against rival Rogers Heritage. Hernandez celebrated by somersaulting into a back flip.
SPRINGDALE 3,
LR CATHOLIC 1
Springdale (17-5) scored three goals in a 4:15 span in the second half, rallying from a 1-0 deficit to beat Little Rock Catholic and set up a semifinal matchup with Springdale Har-Ber.
Goals by Salvador Gonzalez, Jessie Gomez and Manuel Soto sealed the match.
Ivan Gault scored for Catholic (12-4-1) less than 10 minutes into the second half.
Sports on 05/13/2017