Boys soccer: Queen Creek, Campo Verde play to 2-2 tie

January 16, 2015 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Campo Verde had the early edge in regulation. Queen Creek answered before too much time got away. When overtime began Queen Creek took 10 seconds to score. Campo Verde answered before the first overtime was complete.

That's the way it ended Friday night as the top two boys soccer teams in Division II from the East Valley sparred for 100 minutes playing to 2-2 deadlock at Queen Creek High.

Queen Creek suffered its first blemish in power-ranking matches, although its 9-0-1 mark likely is good enough to maintain the top spot among the D-II power rankings. The Bulldogs are 12-3-2 overall. Campo Verde began the day No. 5 in the ranking. The Coyotes are 12-4-2 overall and 7-1-1 in power-ranking matches.

The match was tied 1-1 after the first half.  Campo Verde's Luke Gleadle, the Coyotes' leading scorer, knocked home a shot on a throw-in by Robert Delci in the 8th minute. Queen Creek got the equalizer in the 26th minute as is top scorer, Jacob Dominguez, squeezed in a left-footed shot from about six yards out that was slightly deflected and just eluded Campo keeper Briley Guarneri at the near post. It was Dominguez's 31st goal of the season.

Campo Verde had a flurry of chances late in the second half and was denied a couple times by Queen Creek keeper Felix Amenda. Thus overtime came calling.

"I thought we had the momentum going to overtime," Campo Verde coach Drew Guarneri said. "Then they score 10 seconds in. We could have folded our cards at that point, but got one back. ... I think the result was exactly the way it should have been."

Queen Creek's only lead of the match was a shocker. With Dominguez banged up and needing a rest to start overtime, the Bulldogs scored off the overtime kickoff. Standout center midfielder Benji Delgadillo teamed up with Dominguez's replacement -- Jose Montes -- for as quick a strike as one will see.

Campo Verde didn't tuck tail. Five minutes later Evan Johnson tucked a pass in traffic to sophomore forward Brandon Martinez streaming toward the goal. Martinez found the back of the net for the final tie. Campo Verde had the best chance and last good chance in the second overtime, but Amenda was able to deflect a shot in the 95th minute that may otherwise have given the Coyotes the win.

"We thought we had it," Queen Creek coach Mauricio Ramirez said of the overtime goal that came in the blink of an eye. "They got one back. We have a good rivalry with them. This was like the beginning of the playoffs. This is how it's going to be."