FAYETTEVILLE -- A state championship in Class 6A had eluded the ultra successful Siloam Springs boys soccer program in its previous two tries in 2013 and 2015, but the Panthers reached the top on Friday.
Siloam Springs got a pair of second half goals from seniors Aldair Umana and Ricardo Aguilar and avenged its loss in the title game a year ago with a 2-0 win over two-time defending champion Russellville on Friday at Razorback Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
It's Siloam Springs third state championship overall, having won back-to-back state titles in Class 5A in 2011 and 2012. The Panthers moved to Class 6A in 2013 but lost to Searcy 3-2 and then were defeated by the Cyclones 2-1 last year.
"It's a great feeling definitely after coming back from two tough losses my freshman year and junior year," said Umana, a four-year starter for Siloam Springs. "It really hurt us a lot. I think it's what pushed the seniors and a lot of the underclassmen who were there last year to come out and play the best we could. We as a team knew that if we played how we know how to play, it would have been a good day for us."
Siloam Springs defeated 7A/6A-Central Conference foe Russellville for the third time this season. The first victory was a 3-0 win at Panther Stadium in Siloam Springs on April 12, but the second win came in penalty kicks in Russellville on May 3.
Russellville coach Jared Fuller said he couldn't fault the Cyclones' effort on Friday, but he admitted Siloam Springs was the better team.
"I love my guys and they gave it all they had," Fuller said. "Obviously (Siloam Springs is) just the better team this year. I've got a lot of respect for their coaches and their team and the kind of performance they had today."
The game remained scoreless until the 50th minute when Umana struck a bending laser into the far corner of the net just from the edge of the 18-yard box. Umana was issued a yellow card on the play after taking his shirt off while celebrating the goal. Aguilar had the assist on the goal.
"(Umana is) a typical forward, can frustrate you at times but then he'll do something brilliant like that," Siloam Springs coach Brent Crenshaw said of the goal. "And just hit an impossible angle, bent the ball around the goalkeeper and the back of the post."
As for Umana's celebration, Crenshaw said, "I told him not to ever do that again, but at the same time that was a sweet shot you know? Kids will be kids. He picked a good moment to shine right there for us."
Siloam Springs' second goal came off a mistake from Russellville's goalkeeper Saul Sierra in the 77th minute. Sierra made a play on a shot and sent the ball right to the feet of Aguilar who scored easily for a 2-0 lead.
"The second goal was a little surprise," Crenshaw said. "They've got a really good goalkeeper and he gave us a gift. Ricardo was there to pick up and he did what he did."
Siloam Springs defense led by defenders Nathanael Long, Jack Bos and goalkeeper Jose Yanes helped preserve the shutout over the final minutes as Russellville made a late push.
The win marked the second state title in the same day for Crenshaw, who came to Siloam Springs with no state titles to his name when he was hired last summer.
"When I moved to Siloam (last) summer, we started getting together, putting the gameplan together, what we needed to do," Crenshaw said. "That was our focus all year. To see it at the end like this, I'm on top of the world right now."
Crenshaw and the Siloam Springs girls team won the first state title earlier on Friday before the boys game.
"This is my 15th year," Crenshaw said. "I got two in one day. God is good man. God is good. He's blessed me to come work in Siloam with these great kids and this great community. I couldn't be happier for our boys."
Sports on 05/22/2016