Cleveland girls continue to win; Rams girls end skid; boys split on Saturday

ALBUQUERQUE – Cleveland High School girls’ soccer coach Greg Rusk said Saturday’s victory on the grass at Volcano Vista High School was his team’s biggest win of the season, and why not?

The Storm (15-1, 4-0 in District 1-5A) wrapped up the first half of their district slate atop the standings, a game and a half ahead of the Hawks (8-5, 2-1).

“I would say, yes, it’s the biggest win, because in our state it’s all about the district. Volcano is an extremely difficult team,” Rusk said. It was only the Storm’s second win at VVHS.

Storm 3, Volcano Vista 1: The hard-fought victory marked the 15th time this season the Storm have surrendered fewer than two goals – and that came in a 4-2 victory over Hobbs at the Academy Invitational.

The Hawks’ lone goal came via a penalty kick early in the second half, although Rusk didn’t want to dwell on whether or not it was a good call by the referee.

“When you put yourself in the position where the referee has to make a decision, I think you did not do what you were supposed to do,” he said. “You never want to leave int in the referee’s hands, you want to leave it on the field. If you do a play that the referee’s going to question in the box, you’ve got to be ready for the consequences.”

At the time, the Storm had a 2-0 lead, with first-half tallies by Arissa C’de Baca in the game’s first minute and Sienna Salazar in the final minute of the first half.

CHS goalkeeper Madison Johnson dove to her left, but Kasey Sandoval’s line drive into the upper right-hand corner in the 48th minute gave the Hawks life, and 32 more minutes to get the tying goal.

That didn’t happen, as Alexus Guillen got a pass from Ella Lent-Koop and, with the Hawks’ goalkeeper coming out to stop the shot, lofted it over her and into the net for an insurance goal and a 3-1 lead.

At the time, Rusk said, “We were in a small state of panic and then we took a throw-in over here, took a couple touches on possession and Ella ‘threw’ it and Alexus put it past the ‘keeper. That’s why Alexus G is one of our highest goal-scorers and assist-makers.”

With the second half of 1-5A starting Oct. 14, Rusk said, there’s always a concern about injuries, and “always the concern that teams will be playing for their lives, so you’re going to get their best – and, not last, every team (that you beat) wants to get you back. So, it’s nice we’ve got three of the last four at home.”

Storm 4, Santa Fe 1: A three-goal outburst in the first half in the Capital City on Oct. 2 led to the Demonettes’ first loss of the season.

Rylie Pengelly, Angeline Montoya and scoring leader C’de Baca tallied in the decisive first half. C’de Baca closed out the game’s scoring, after Santa Fe opened the second half with a quick goal.

Johnson made four saves in the game.

Storm 3, Cibola 0: Two days after their win in Santa Fe, the Storm were back on the pitch “down the hill” at District 1-5A foe Cibola.

What a surprise: C’de Baca gave the Storm the only goal they’d need midway through the first half.

Guillen made it 2-0 10 minutes later, and that was the score at halftime.

Taylor Williamson gave the Storm an insurance goal with about 10 minutes left to play.

It was another dull day for Johnson, who again needed just one save to keep the Cougars (6-6-1, 1-1) scoreless. The Storm had eight shots on goal, and six corner kicks.

The CHS girls have had similar success through 16 games before, going 15-1 in 2017 and 15-0-1 last season, each time winding up in the state championship game.

The CHS girls are home Saturday, Oct. 14, to meet Rio Rancho at 11 a.m. Cleveland posted a 5-0 shutout at Rio Rancho Stadium in their Sept. 27 meeting.

Rio Rancho 1, Cibola 0: Bella Poccia’s goal in the 42nd minute ended a scoreless drought that had last more than 7½ hours for the Rams, and also snapped their four-game skid.

Poccia played two roles in the win at RRHS Friday: She tended goal in the first half, then was on the field and scored the game’s lone goal.

The Rams (4-9-1, 1-2) conclude the first half of their 1-5A slate Wednesday, Oct. 11, vs. Atrisco Heritage Academy at the APS soccer complex, then visit Cleveland on Saturday.

Boys’ teams also had lean week

Storm 3, Cibola 1: Amir Fauzi, Dominic Aguilar and Ronnie Lerma III scored goals vs. The visiting Cougars on Oct. 4.

Volcano Vista 3, Storm 1: Lerma gave the host Storm a 1-0 lead off a free kick from about 35 yards out, and Cleveland led at intermission, 1-0.

The Hawks rallied for three goals in the second half, in which CHS coach Shaun Gill said, “We did not come out very aggressive … Volcano was able to capitalize on a couple of our mistakes.”

The Storm (8-5-3, 2-2) have just one game this week as they start the second half of 1-5A action: They’re at Rio Rancho Saturday, Oct. 14, at 4 p.m.

Rams 4, Cibola 1: Caden Jones, Douglas Cutshall, Caden Johannsen and Sean Meserve gave the Rams (8-3-2, 1-1-1) more than enough goals on the morning of Oct. 7 at Cibola.

Rio Rancho completed the first half of district action Wednesday, Oct. 11, vs. Visiting Atrisco Heritage Academy, then get the Storm at home Saturday at 4 p.m. The Storm won their Sept. 27 meeting at Lightning Bolt Stadium, 2-1. The city’s teams played to a tie in their APS Metro meeting, with the Rams advancing via penalty kicks.