Senior Ismael Mendoza works the ball through the Douglas defense Wednesday night at Carson High.
First place was already wrapped up, but that didn’t stop the Carson High boys soccer team from putting on a dominant performance.
Isael Lopez scored two goals and added an assist, and the Senators finished the regular season with a 6-1 win over Douglas on Wednesday at the Jim Frank Track & Field Complex.
Carson has a 12-1-3 record, the only loss coming to North Valleys. Carson draws Hug in a first-round playoff game at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The semifinals and championship game is set for Thursday and Saturday, respectively, at Spanish Springs.
“It was good,” Carson coach Frank Martinez said. “We were able to get everybody in, even the two kids I brought up from junior varsity.
“I told the team that we needed to make sure we won, so we could have momentum going into the playoffs.”
Douglas fired the first salvo at the 11-minute mark when Javi Vega was pulled down in the penalty box by Raul Lopez. Vega calmly popped the PK into the left corner to give the Tigers their only lead and goal of the game.
The foul happened after Guillermo Perez was a little lazy clearing the ball. Douglas intercepted the ball, and the foul was called moments later.
“We had a mental mistake at the beginning,” Martinez said. “We got a little lazy, and they made a good play on the ball.”
The Tigers had two good rushes in the next three minutes, but were unable to convert. Carson keeper Jose Rodriguez came out on the second ball and made a sliding stop.
Carson tied the match at 1 in the 19th minute when Ronnie Elliott fed Osvaldo Gomez, who scored. A minute later, Elliott, dribbling down the right side, fired one that found the left corner of the net for the go-ahead score.
Lopez missed the Wooster game, and didn’t start Wednesday. He did a lot of damage once he entered the game. The first of his two goals made it 3-1 at the intermission.
“He wasn’t going to start, but we looked much better when he went in there,” Martinez said. “When he is in there, he makes a difference.”
In the 49th minute Lopez scored again. He took a through ball and dribbled toward the Douglas goal. When the Tigers’ keeper came out, Lopez just tapped the ball past him to make it 4-1.
Efren Ramirez made it 5-1 in the 56th minute, and Michael Rodriguez tallied in the 73rd minute.
Vega had a good chance to score in extra time, but Jose Rodriquez made a diving stop.
Douglas coach Chase Zumpft was obviously disappointed with the result.
“The last three matches, we’ve given up 16 goals,” he said.
“I don’t think we gave up 16 goals in our first eight matches. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.”
The Tigers just haven’t been consistent for extended periods of time, much to Zumpft’s chagrin.
VOLLEYBALL
VC spikers sweep Pyramid
VIRGINIA CITY — Chelsea Nevin finished with 10 kills, 12 assists and six digs to lead the Muckers to a 25-12, 25-18 and 25-21 win over Pyramid.
Kaitlin Hames had 15 assists and two aces, Emily Heinz had 13 assists, five kills, six aces and three digs, Mackenzie McFarlane had six digs and three kills, Kori Johnson had nine digs, three kills and two aces, and Calli Hess added five digs and four kills.
