GILBERT — Pueblo's boys soccer team took a two-goal lead and held on late to beat Buckeye 2-1 and capture the Division IV state championship Saturday.
The win, at Gilbert Williams Field, marks the first state crown in program history. Following the match, Warriors players had a hard time expressing just how memorable the victory was.
"I can't explain it," sophomore forward Efren Robles said. "That's how exciting it is, honestly.'
Robles opened up the scoring in the 38th minute, when he nailed a diving shot on a free kick.
Sophomore forward Rafael Torres made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute, when he pounced on a mistake by the Buckeye defense to score. The Hawks misplayed a cross by freshman midfielder Helder Navarro and Torres was there to capitalize on it.
“It was a mistake by the defense, no communication I guess, and I just tapped it in,” Torres said.
Pueblo (15-3) finished the season by winning 11 in a row. The team outscored its opponents 15-2 in first three rounds of the state tournament.
The second-seeded Warriors outshot No. 5 Buckeye 22-13.
It wasn't easy. Buckeye took control of possession at the 60-minute mark, then scored in the 78th minute.
Pueblo coach Francisco Urtuzuastegui admitted he was nervous at the start of the match. Robles, meanwhile, said the Warriors were anxious the whole time.
“We made one mistake and we paid for it,” Robles said. “Thank God we did it, we held on.”
Buckeye (15-5) upset top seeded El Mirage Dysart in the semifinals 4-1. The Hawks outscored opponents 29-3 in the first three rounds of the tournament and won 11 in a row before the final.
The Warriors' landmark win comes in a school year when football team made the playoffs for the first time in 25 years and both basketball teams made the section finals.
Pueblo athletic director Brandon Sanders said he saw baseball, girls soccer and football players in the stands Saturday. Sanders, who is also the head football coach, said the Warriors will celebrate this for a “long, long, long time.”
“To be a Warrior this year has been absolutely amazing,” he said.
Urtuzuastegui said through a translator that he was "very happy for the players."
“It’s very big for the community because we’re the first champions at Pueblo,” he said. “More students are going to want to come to Pueblo so they can be part of the team.”
