Prep: Gators pay back Shields in state soccer

Steve Cunningham

Monday, Nov. 17, 1997 | 12:47 p.m.

It was 30 degrees with ice on the field at game time, but Green Valley's boys' soccer team was burning for revenge against Cheyenne Saturday in the 4A state championship contest at Carson City.

Just a week earlier, the Desert Shields had blanked Green Valley -- ranked No. 7 in the nation and unbeaten on the season -- 4-0 to win the Southern Conference title. Each team had already qualified for state competition but the setback was a wake-up call for the Gators.

Green Valley got its justice and first-ever state title with a 1-0 win over Cheyenne. Rocky Bansin's goal early in the second half was the difference in a game dominated by the Gators, who outshot the Desert Shields, 22-8.

"We played much better (Saturday) than we did the first time against them," Green Valley coach Vince Hart said. "We forced the action the entire game and kind of took Cheyenne out of anything they tried to do."

Green Valley defeated Douglass, 2-0, on Friday and Cheyenne knocked off Sparks, 3-2, to set up the all-south title game. Hart never talks to his players after a game but felt that loss to Cheyenne last week was a special occasion.

They must have listened.

"I told them (the loss) wasn't unexpected," Hart said. "We hadn't been playing very well. We just let down, didn't come to play. Cheyenne deserved to win that game but we were lucky to have another chance at them."

This season was an experiment for Hart. Without a true goal scorer, he implemented an attacking, chaotic game plan to cover that weakness. Green Valley was tied twice during the regular season but nobody could solve the new system.

That was a surprise to Hart. So is the newly-won state championship. A season with a lot of question marks turned into one for the history books at Green Valley.

"Three months ago, if somebody would have said we'd win the state title, I'd have said they were nuts," Hart said. "This team has exceeded all my expectations. They embraced the tactical plan and they showed a lot of character."