The Salpointe boys went 5-0 at the Brandon Bean Tournament with a 6-0 win over Walden Grove in the championship final Friday night. The winners of the last two 4A Conference state championships will open regular season play at Cienega (0-0) Monday night before heading to Walden Grove (4-1) for a rematch next Wednesday.

The Lancers survived a 1-0 win over Catalina Foothills in the semifinal round Friday morning and Walden Grove beat Nogales 2-1 in the other semifinal.

Nicolas Valenzuela set the tone in the championship final with a goal in the first 12 seconds of play to put Salpointe up 1-0 on Walden Grove. Mario Zuluaga made it 2-0 in the 13th minute and Leo Gutierrez made it 3-0 in the 17th.  The Lancers collected 10 shots in the opening half and the scores kept coming with a goal from Diego Veliz in the 59th, followed by a goal from Diego Yanez in the 61st and a final goal from James Myer in the 72nd.

Valenzuela was named “Field Player of the Tournament” along with Walden Grove standout Joseph Miranda. Lancer goalie Brandon McChesney earned “Keeper of the Tournament” honors for his play.

Salpointe beat Walden Grove 5-1 in the 2021 state championship and Notre Dame 3-1 last year to give Wolfgang Weber and his Lancers their ninth state championship. Notre Dame is competing in the 5A Conference this year.

Tucson High came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Walden Grove 2-2 (4-3). (Andy Morales/AZPreps365)

 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28

B: Mountain View 5, Cholla 0

B: Buena 2, Ironwood Ridge 0

B: Nogales 7, Catalina 0

B: Walden Grove 9, Sabino 1

G: Sahuarita 6, Flowing Wells 0

G: Ironwood Ridge 3, Buena 0

G: Nogales 6, Catalina 0

G: Walden Grove 4, Sabino 1

 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29

B: Catalina Foothills 8, Sabino 0

B: Rincon/UHS 3, Buena 2

B: Pusch Ridge 2, Mountain View 1

B: Salpointe 8, Catalina 0

G: Tucson 2, Sabino 0

G: Rincon/UHS 4, Buena 1

G: Sahuarita 2, Pusch Ridge 0

G: Salpointe 8, Catalina 0

 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30

B: Pusch Ridge 4, Cholla 0

B: Walden Grove 3, Catalina Foothills 2

B: Rincon/UHS 4, Ironwood Ridge 1

B: Salpointe 4, Nogales 0

G: Pusch Ridge 1, Flowing Wells 0

G: Walden Grove 2, Tucson 0

G: Ironwood Ridge 2, Rincon/UHS 2

G: Salpointe 6, Nogales 0

 

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1

B: Ironwood Ridge 2, Catalina 0

B: Sabino 1, Cholla 0

B: Walden Grove 1, Mountain View 0

B: Catalina Foothills 3, Pusch Ridge 2

B: Nogales 4, Rincon/UHS 0

B: Salpointe 4, Buena 1

G: Buena 1, Catalina 0

G: Sabino 1, Flowing Wells 0

G: Walden Grove 5, Pusch Ridge 0

G: Tucson 6, Sahuarita 3

G: Ironwood Ridge 5, Nogales 2

G: Salpointe 5, Rincon/UHS 0

 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

SEMIFINALS

G: Tucson over Salpointe, 0-0 (PK 4-3)

G: Walden Grove 2, Ironwood Ridge 1

B: Salpointe 1, Catalina Foothills 0

B: Walden Grove 1, Nogales 0

 

CHAMPIONSHIPS

G: Tucson over Walden Grove, 2-2 (PK 4-3)

B: Salpointe 6, Walden Grove 0

Nico Valenzuela with Salpointeathletic director Phil Gruensfelder and Doug Bean, the father of the late Brandon Bean. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365)

Joseph Miranda of Walden Grove. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365)

Lancer keeper Brandon McChesney. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365)