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CHS boys get abbreviated soccer win

LOS ALAMOS — It was a bit of an unusual day for Clovis High’s boys soccer team on Friday.

Competing in the Louis Sernicek tournament hosted by Los Alamos, the Wildcats were limited to one day and two matches because of state COVID-19 overnight restrictions. They dropped a 3-1 decision to the host Hilltoppers, then were slated to face Santa Fe Capital in their second contest.

The match was moved to Capital. After about seven minutes, with the Cats leading 1-0, CHS coach Greg Trujillo said the teams had about a 45-minute lightning delay before it was called off, with Clovis (1-3) credited with its first win of the season.

Senior midfielder Santi Garbarino scored the only goal in the first couple of minutes.

Against Los Alamos, junior midfielder/defender Ty Hinojosa took advantage of a Clovis breakdown to put the Hilltoppers (2-0) in front in the fifth minute. Senior forward Jaime Tarrazas added a pair of goals for Los Alamos, including one in the final minute.

CHS pulled to 2-1 midway through the first half on a tally by senior forward Lesther Valladares.

“All in all, the guys played well,” Clovis coach Greg Trujillo said. “I think we were probably the two better teams in the tournament, but that miscue (on the first Los Alamos tally) really set the tone.”

Sandia Prep 3, Clovis 1 (Tuesday) — At Leon Williams Stadium, the Sundevils broke through with a pair of goals late in the half and kept the Cats at bay the rest of the way.

Sandia Prep (2-0) took the lead in the fourth minute on a goal by sophomore forward Leighton Dellabarca, but the Cats tied it six minutes later with a tally by Valladares off an assist from senior midfielder Jorge Barraza.

Goals by junior forward Finnegan Saunders and junior midfielder Mateo Burgos in the final four minutes of the half gave Sandia Prep control.

Valladares’ score was one of only three shots on goal for Clovis. The Sundevils peppered the net in the second half, but CHS senior goalkeeper D.J. Maldonado kept them off the board during that time and finished the day with a dozen saves.

“They were technically sound,” Trujillo said of the Albuquerque-based Sundevils, who won at Los Lunas 4-0 the day before in their opener. “We weren’t able to generate much (on offense).”

Clovis dropped a 2-0 decision on Aug. 19 in its opener at home against Hope Christian, another team classified as “technically sound” by Trujillo.

“Hope Christian was bigger and more physical,” he said. “Sandia Prep was more of a finesse team. They moved the ball better and had more depth.”

The Cats’ next outing is a 6 p.m. contest against New Mexico Military next Thursday in Roswell. Clovis doesn’t play at home again until entertaining Portales on Sept. 21.

 
 
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