Thursday, March 28, 2024

Mustangs advance to District second round with Cashmere win

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BRIDGEPORT – The Mustangs varsity soccer team took one step closer to the 1A Caribou Trail League/Central Washington B District championship and a spot at state with a 3-1 win over the CTL’s Cashmere Tigers in a fast-paced and physical match on Bridgeport’s home pitch last Saturday, May 5.
“After a slow start during the first half, the Mustangs scored in the 33rd minute off a header from Hugo Santana which he received from a corner kick from Ozzy Orozco,” head coach Gab Gonzalez said.
Five minutes later the Tigers tied the game with a goal in the 38th minute.
“During the second half the Mustangs came out stronger,” Gonzalez said.
Junior midfielder Alex Zarate put the Mustangs ahead, 2-1, when he scored in the 49th minute off an assist by teammate Christian Aguilar.
The Tigers responded aggressively but Bridgeport goalkeeper Carlos Ruiz made several stops of shots on goal to keep Cashmere making scoring attempts.
Near the mid-point of the second half, junior forward Alexis Valdovinos scored Bridgeport’s third and final goal with a header from the right side of the net from a crossed kick by Aguilar.
The Mustangs, who finished the regular season with an 8-2 record, appear to be peaking at just the right time as the competition ramps up in post season play. Bridgeport capped its regular season finale with a 4-3 win over league champion Brewster and handed the Bears their only CWB league loss on Tuesday, May 1.
The loss eliminates Cashmere from competition and sets the Mustangs up to face the CTL’s number one Chelan Goats in Chelan at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 8. The Bears will host Cascade at the same day and time in Brewster. Cascade advanced to the second round with a 3-0 win over Manson on May 5. The winners of both games will meet for the District championship In Wenatchee’s Apple Bowl at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 10. Both finalists will advance to state competition.
Mustangs end regular season with comeback win over league champion Bears

May 1
BRIDGEPORT -- In a comeback battle that came down to a five-ball overtime shoot-out, the Bridgeport Mustangs varsity soccer team took vengeance for an earlier season 7-0 loss by defeating the previously unbeaten Brewster Bears, 4-3, on its home pitch and on Senior Night last Tuesday, May 1.
The first 40-minute half was a defensive battle leaving both teams scoreless at the start of the second period. The Bears broke the deadlock when Felix Nava scored their first goal on a penalty kick two minutes into the second half. Nava added Brewster’s second goal in the game’s 50st minute to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.
Bridgeport quickly rallied and took advantage of the Bears’ lapse on defense to get its first goal one minute later when junior forward Alexis Valdovinos had a cross-field kick deflect off a Bears player and go into the Brewster goal, head coach Gabe Gonzalez said.
The Mustangs tied the game in the 68th minute when junior Danny Valdovinos broke between two Brewster defenders and scored one-on-one with the Bears’ goalie.
“The third Mustangs goal was by Alexis Valdovinos from a penalty kick in the 80-plus-second-minute of the second half,” said Gonzalez. “Brewster scored in the 80-plus-fourth-minuteof the second half, which tied the game up, 3-3.
Jose Gomez tied the game for the Bears on a deflected corner kick, head coach Jenner Sanon said.
Two scoreless overtime periods later, the game went into a five-ball shootout to determine the winner.
In alternating attempts, the Mustangs connected on all five of their attempts. Bridgeport goalie Edgar Meza blocked the Bears’ fourth goal shot to the loud approval of the home crowd. Meza then scored Bridgeport’s fifth and winning goal and pandemonium reigned. Meza was drenched by a barrel full of ice water and hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates as the Mustangs celebrated their win.
The 9-1 Bears had already claimed the Central Washington 2B league title and had earlier shutout the second-place Mustangs 7-0 on Brewster’s home pitch, April 12.
Brewster will host its first playoff game next Tuesday, May 8, against the winner of Manson-Cascade, said Sanon. The winner of that loser-out match will advance to the Apple Cup in Wenatchee on Thursday, May 10.
The Mustangs will host Cashmere at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 5, coach Gonzalez said.
 

bridgeport, Mustangs, soccer, Edgar Meza

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