Colts fight off Phoenix to win Region 7-AA title

Published 8:15 am Tuesday, April 22, 2025

CALHOUN — Battling back from a two-goal deficit in the second half, the No. 5-ranked Coahulla Creek High School Colts claimed the Region 7-AA boys’ soccer championship with a dramatic penalty-kick shootout win over host Sonoraville on Friday night.

The final will be recorded as 4-4 (5-3 PKs), but that outcome looked out of reach when the Phoenix scored two goals in a five-minute span in the second half to take a 4-2 lead.

But the Colts, who won state titles in 2021 and 2023 while in Class AAA, clawed back like a champion — despite being a man down for the entire second half and both overtimes after an ejection late in the first half.

“Our guys showed a lot of heart tonight, especially having to play a lot of the match with only 10,” said Coahulla Creek head coach Aurelio Jacobo. “Our team was willing to put it all on the line, and they worked really hard just like they have all year. Sonoraville has really built up their program this year and they looked good today — they gave us a heck of a game. This was a good test for us heading into the state playoffs, but we know there is still room for improvement.”

For Phoenix head coach Omar Jacobo, while the match was an exciting one for the large crowd on hand on Senior Night, it felt like a missed opportunity to claim a statement win heading into the state playoffs.

“I’ll be honest, it feels disappointing after having a two-goal lead. When we let them get back in it, their energy was revived and you hate to lose a lead like that,” Jacobo said. “Coahulla Creek is a state-championship level team, and this was a good test for us going in to the state tournament. There were so many emotions in a game like this, we just need now to keep our heads up and keep a positive mindset. We just need to keep a consistent level of play, and hopefully we’ll be more prepared next time we’re in a game like this.”

The Colts (9-4, 7-1) struck early in the match, taking a 1-0 lead on a shot to the right corner by Anderson Rivera just four minutes into the game. At the 20 minute mark, Sonoraville (9-6, 5-3) tied the score on a goal by Jose Padilla-Garcia on a free kick from 20 yards out. With just four minutes left in the half, the Colts had a player ejected on a hard foul in the penalty box, and Mateo Trujillo buried the ensuing penalty kick for a 2-1 Sonoraville lead.

Rivera knocked in a rebound of his own deflected penalty kick with just over two minutes left in the half, tying the score at 2-2 heading into the break.

In the second half, the Phoenix appeared to seize control, getting goals from Trujillo and Lucas Lewis for a 4-2 advantage with only 26 minutes left to play. But Coahulla Creek kept up the pressure and closed to within 4-3 on a score by Fabrico Pancheco with 19 minutes left.

The Colts then tied it three minutes later on a penalty kick shot by Cruz Barcenas, and the teams then played two 10-minute overtime periods tied at 4-4.

In the PK shootout, the Colts had a 4-3 lead going into the fifth and final round, and when Omar Mendiola buried his shot in the corner, the Coahulla Creek team stormed the field to mob him. It was the Colts fifth region title in the last seven seasons.

Both teams now await the final Class AA power rankings to determine their state playoff opponents. The state tournament opens next week, with the Class AA championships scheduled for May 16 at Mercer University in Macon.