New 5A boys, 4A girls high school soccer state champs to be crowned

Arbor View’s boys soccer team did not qualify for last year’s Class 5A Southern Region playoffs.

One year later, the Aggies are Southern Region champions and two wins away from the program’s first boys soccer state title.

Arbor View emerged out of competitive 5A Southern Region to reach the state semifinals for the second time in program history.

The Aggies (14-8-3) play Sparks, the North’s No. 2 seed in a 5A state semifinal at 5 p.m. Friday at Faith Lutheran. Palo Verde (16-5-2), the South’s No. 2 seed plays Northern champion Hug at 6:45 p.m. Friday in the other state semifinal.

The state championship game is at noon Saturday at Faith Lutheran.

“We’re playing with good confidence right now,” Arbor View coach Robert Starbird said. “We’re peaking at the right time.”

Last Saturday’s Southern Region title game was indicative of how close things were for 5A Southern teams this season. After a 2-2 tie, Arbor View won a penalty kick shootout 5-4 to get the region title.

“The 5A here in Southern Nevada really helps because every game means something and every game’s a battle,” said Starbird, who added he believed any 5A Southern team could have reached the state tournament. “There’s no days off. That really helps going into a tournament like this were you got to take every team seriously.”

Palo Verde is making its fourth straight appearance in the state tournament and has lost to Hug in the semifinals the last two seasons. The Panthers defeated Hug for the 2021 5A title for the program’s second boys soccer title.

“They’re looking forward to it and they’re going to be focused,” Palo Verde coach Scott Hunt said. “Hopefully, we can grind it out. That’ll be the key is who can do the dirty work? Winning 50/50 balls, winning headers and loose balls. That could make a difference in a game like this.”

Hug is making its sixth straight state tournament appearance and Sparks has been in the state tournament four of the last five years.

Arbor View has relied on strong goalie play from senior Aaden Flores, and senior forward Desmond Guevara (17 goals) leads a senior class for the Aggies that’s played together for four years and wanted redemption after missing last year’s playoffs.

“They work really hard and I think they had a little bit of a bad taste in their mouth because they were one of the teams that missed out on the playoffs last year,” Starbird said. “They were really hungry to get into the playoffs and make some noise this year.”

Hug graduated 12 seniors off last year’s team that beat Palo Verde. Hunt said while the Panthers have been strong defensively all year, being able to capitalize on scoring chances will be key on Friday.

“O’Brian (Vera)’s had a wonder year as a sophomore (12 goals) and Parker Turner (11 goals) up front too,” Hunt said. “Both of them are scoring goals this year so they’re keeping us moving in the attack. We’ll rely on them again this weekend.”

4A girls title up for grabs

Palo Verde’s girls won the 4A Southern Region title after beating Sierra Vista 4-1 last week and the Panthers are the No. 1 seed heading into the 4A girls soccer state tournament at Spring Valley High School.

The Panthers (17-3) play Reno High, the North’s No. 2 seed, in a state semifinal at 5 p.m. Friday. Sierra Vista (18-3), the South’s No. 2 seed, plays Northern champion Galena at 6:45 p.m. The state title game is at 10 a.m. Saturday at Spring Valley.

“The group believes in themselves and what they’re capable of,” Palo Verde coach Pedram Mahinpey said. “They also know it will be a challenge and we’ve got to earn it.”

Palo Verde reached the state tournament last year, following an overtime loss to eventual state champion Doral Academy in the region title game. But the Panthers lost to state runner-up Galena in the state semifinals.

This year’s Palo Verde team has come back even stronger as it enters the state tournament on a 16-game winning streak. Palo Verde, which last won state titles in 2005 and 2006, has outscored opponents 171-14 led by junior Olivia Gastwirth’s 55 goals and 41 goals from Caitlynn Nick.

“Last year when the game ended, I told the girls that were returning to remember how this feels and hopefully use it as motivation throughout the year,” Mahinpey said. “This year, to get us back to where we want to be and what we have done to this point, they understand that nothing’s given to you.”

Sierra Vista is seeking its first girls soccer state title. The Mountain Lions’ only other state tournament appearance was the 2014 3A tournament.

Sierra Vista coach Ryan Quinn said there were “a lot of positives” from the loss to Palo Verde, but added he doesn’t think the realization of getting to the state tournament has “100 percent hit them yet.”

“It’s OK to be nervous, but control that and bring the same energy and intensity that we brought to every game that we stepped out on the field to play. I’ve seen that in practice,” he said. “I think they’re ready. They’re nervous, but focused.”

It helps for Sierra Vista to have Division I star in UNR commit Sophia Aragon, who has 29 goals and 30 assists this season.

“It lifts up everybody around her and makes the other players around her better,” Quinn said. “Everything about her game and the way that she is with the girls — she doesn’t act superior to them in any way. She brings them along with her.”

Contact Alex Wright at [email protected]. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.

Nevada high school state tournament schedule

(State tournaments in Southern Nevada)

Class 5A boys

At Faith Lutheran High School

Friday

State semifinals

No. 2N Sparks vs. No. 1S Arbor View, 5 p.m.

No. 2S Palo Verde vs. No. 1N Hug, 6:45 p.m.

Saturday

State championship

Sparks-Arbor View winner vs. Palo Verde-Hug winner, noon

Class 4A girls

At Spring Valley High School

Friday

State semifinals

No. 2N Reno High vs. No. 1S Palo Verde, 5 p.m.

No. 2S Sierra Vista vs. No. 1N Galena, 6:45 p.m.

Saturday

State championship

Reno-Palo Verde winner vs. Sierra Vista-Galena winner, 10 a.m.