Palo Verde, Centennial to meet in Sunset final

Justin George

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005 | 9:29 a.m.

Palo Verde advanced to Thursday's Sunset Region final with a 4-0 victory against Bishop Gorman Tuesday.

Panthers forward Ashleigh Green kicked off the evening with the first goal shortly into the first half.

Palo Verde's offense was strong, but its exceptional defense ultimately won the game. Gorman managed just a few shots, which often went astray.

Both teams seemed to rely heavily on headers, which often result in an aimless projection. Gorman lost control of the ball several times after opting for this maneuver instead of a chest block.

Gorman did play a strong game, however, executing specific offensive and defensive tactics smoothly, which are characteristic of head coach Victor Arbelaez.

"I always worry about playing his teams," Panthers coach Marc Hechter said. "He's a remarkable man who loves the game."

Hechter's team will be hit hard after this season. "We're graduating nine players this year," he said. Half his team will have to be replaced.

Later Tuesday, Centennial executed a textbook lateral play during the final minutes, solidifying a 3-1 victory over Bonanza and setting up the Bulldogs for a match with Palo Verde at 4 p.m. Thursday.

In the Sunrise Region, Silverado pulled into the lead against Las Vegas and held strong for a 3-1 victory. Vegas' Lindsay McKean was temporarily knocked out just a few minutes into the game after colliding with Silverado's Kelly Fernandez. Just minutes from the end of the game, an ambulance was called after she began hyperventilating, according to a referee. She was treated on site.

Green Valley set the tone for the game early, landing three goals within the first 10 minutes. Coronado played hard defensively, but was unable to stop Green Valley's Jessie Cahill from scoring after dribbling in from midfield. Randi Baker scored the only point for Coronado on Tuesday, bringing the final score to 6-1.

Green Valley will face Silverado for the Sunrise Region title at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

All four winners from Tuesday's games also clinched berths in next week's state semifinals. Galena won the Northern share of the state title in November.