Sunnyside Blue Devils Adrian Burruel-Valenzuela (17) reacts after the Carl Hayden Falcons score their third goal on the southside team during the 5A boys state soccer championship game hosted at Mountain View High School in Marana, on Feb. 25, 2020.
Carl Haydenβs Kevin Noria (2) scores the teamβs second goal past Sunnysideβs Carlos Arias and goalkeeper Jonathan De la Paz. The top-seeded Blue Devils had their chances but were unable to erase the deficit.
Carl Hayden Falcons Alexis Victoria (6) and Sunnyside Blue Devils Demille Flores (18), right, fight for control of the ball during the 5A boys state soccer championship game hosted at Mountain View High School in Marana, on Feb. 25, 2020.
Sunnyside Blue Devils Julio Lemas (10) argues with a referee during the 5A boys state soccer championship game hosted at Mountain View High School in Marana, on Feb. 25, 2020.
Sunnyside Blue Devils Adrian Burruel-Valenzuela (17) reacts after the Carl Hayden Falcons score their third goal on the southside team during the 5A boys state soccer championship game hosted at Mountain View High School in Marana, on Feb. 25, 2020.
Josh Galemore / Arizona Daily Star
Carl Haydenβs Kevin Noria (2) scores the teamβs second goal past Sunnysideβs Carlos Arias and goalkeeper Jonathan De la Paz. The top-seeded Blue Devils had their chances but were unable to erase the deficit.
Sunnysideβs quest for a second consecutive Class 5A state soccer championship came up short Tuesday night as the No.1 seeded Blue Devils were upset 3-0 by No. 3 seed Carl Hayden at Mountain View High School.
The Blue Devils fell behind right out of the gates, as Carl Haydenβs Kevin Noria scored the first of his two first-half goals just three minutes into the game. His right-footed rocket from 25 feet out hooked over the hands of Sunnyside goalkeeper Jonathan De la Paz.
The senior scored again in the 35th minute following a deflection by the goalie.
Sunnyside couldnβt answer, despite controlling the ball on the oppositionβs side of the field for much of the first half. It failed to score on a corner kick in the 22nd minute and a free kick in the 25th minute.
βThatβs tough,β Sunnyside coach Casey OβBrien said. βSometimes you have your day, sometimes you donβt. Iβm really happy for (Carl Hayden).β
Trailing 2-0 to start the second half, the defending champions attempted to piece together a late comeback but were stymied by a stingy Falcons defense. The Blue Devils came out in the opening minutes of the second half on an offensive attack but a scoring opportunity from striker Adrian Burruel-Valenzuelaβs hit the side of the net.
Sunnysideβs best scoring chance came with 17 minutes left in the game, when forward Demille Flores slipped behind the Falcons defense and got off a pair of point-blank shots on goal. Neither found the net.
"I just kept coming in, but couldn't score," Flores said. "I don't blame any of my teammates in this game."Β
Carl Hayden scored its final goal in the final two minutes of regulation.
βI would have liked it to go the other way but sometimes thatβs not how it is,β OβBrien said.
The 2020 season turned out to be quite the turnaround for Phoenix-based Carl Hayden, which finishes the season 23-2 and winners of 14 straight. The team was just 7-12-1 last season.
Sunnysideβs season ends with a 24-2 record, a year after it went 24-0-2 and captured their first 5A state title.
βThe seniors, Iβm not going to diminish their legacy over this,β OβBrien said. βItβs disappointing, but at the same time, Iβm blessed that I even had this opportunity with them.β
One of those seniors if Flores, who said he was proud of the way his team battled.Β
"This one hurts; I'm feeling it," he said. "We've been through a lot. We put a lot of work in."Β
Check out photos from Tuesday's state title game here:
Photos: Sunnyside falls to Carl Hayden in Class 5A state soccer final