Carson High boys soccer locks up league title

RENO — Carson High wrapped up its first Sierra League title since 2011 with a 2-1 victory over Wooster on Saturday.

Conspicuous by its absence was a post-match celebration. There were plenty of smiles and a few high fives, but there was no dogpile in the middle of the field like in baseball.

“It was just another win,” said Efren Ramirez, who scored what proved to be the game-winning goal on a penalty kick in the 37th minute after Wooster was called for a hand ball in the box.

Wins over Wooster aren’t just “another win.” The Wooster-Carson rivalry is arguably the best in Northern Nevada these days. The games are intense and physical like no others.

Maybe Ramirez was being casual because it was the first step toward the ultimate goal of reaching state.

“I feel like we earned it and deserved,” said midfielder Osvaldo Gomez, who did a splendid job handling the middle and controlling the action. “It has always been hardest to beat Wooster.”

The victory earned the Senators, 11-1-3 in league, a first-round home playoff game Oct. 31 against either Reed or Hug.

“Getting that first goal in was big,” Carson coach Frank Martinez said. “They were attacking us pretty good.

“I changed the defense a little bit. I’d been using Christian (Martinez) at right back but I put him at center back and put Max (Navarro) at right back. It worked out better.”

The first goal came in the 17th minute when Julio Loera headed the ball to Danny Escalante, who pounded it home.

The closest Wooster came to a goal was in the 29th minute when Allan Munoz blasted a ball that CHS keeper Jose Rodriguez knocked down and then covered before Wooster could get off a second shot.

In the 36th minute, Ricardo Gonzalez’s shot hit the crossbar.

Ramirez scored on the aforementioned penalty kick about a minute later.

Two goals is a huge lead in soccer, though not impossible to overcome.

Wooster had some good attacks in the second half, but no shots on goal.

Guillermo Perez cleared one ball in the 55th minute.

In the 77th minute, Carson’s Loera fired a shot that was knocked down and not controlled. He then missed the rebound attempt.

Wooster finally got on the board in extra time when Eduardo Gomez scored on a direct free kick from about 40 yards, but it was too little, too late.

Carson hosts Douglas on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m.

NOTES: Isael Lopez did not play because he was out of town and Raul Lopez missed the game with an injury ... The regional playoffs are at Spanish Springs and state is scheduled for North Valleys.