FAYETTEVILLE -- The fourth battle between 6A boys soccer powers Siloam Springs and Russellville this season ended up being a one-sided affair.
Russellville broke through for three first-half goals and the Cyclones won their fourth state title in school history, dethroning two-time defending champion Siloam Springs 4-1 in the Class 6A state finals Friday at Razorback Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
The championships joins Cyclone titles in 2012, 2014 and 2015, which also came at the expense of Siloam Springs.
Siloam Springs had won two of the previous three meetings this season. The Panthers defeated the Cyclones 1-0 on April 3 at Russellville thanks to a late penalty kick that produced the game's only goal.
Russellville spoiled Siloam Springs' senior night on April 20 with a 4-1 rout of the Panthers.
Siloam Springs returned the favor in the 6A-West Conference championship game on May 6 at Panther Stadium with another 1-0 victory.
Russellville coach Jared Fuller thought his team had the edge on the Panthers this season though, and he was glad to see his team come out and show it Friday in the state championship game.
"Yes I think we're better this year, but they've been better than us in past years," Fuller said. "I'm so glad we didn't just beat them 1-0, that we showed that not only were we the better team, but we were a dominant team. I heard (Fort Smith Northside) won the 7A. We beat them earlier in the season as well. And that just gives a lot of credit to my guys for the type of teams we've played all year and the type of soccer we've played."
Siloam Springs head coach Brent Crenshaw agreed that the Cyclones got the best of the Panthers in Friday's game.
"They're a really good team," Crenshaw said. "They were just a lot better than we were today. And they were there first at every ball, every second ball. Their movement was better. Their finishing was better."
The Cyclones got on the scoreboard with 27:46 left in the first half when state tournament MVP Marcos Miranda nailed a header off a pass from Dylan Rice for a 1-0 lead.
Before the Cyclones could finish celebrating their goal however, Siloam Springs had an answer.
Twelve seconds later, Brian Andrade took a Jose Serrano pass and fired a shot past Russellville's keeper to tie the game 1-1.
"I thought once we scored and Brian hit that shot to make it 1-1, I'm thinking maybe we've got a game on now," Crenshaw said.
"They're a great team and they responded," Fuller said of Siloam Springs' goal. "That's what happens when a team just drops off and says, 'Oh, we've got a goal. We can hang back now.' We know better than that, but No. 10 (Andrade) hit a great shot and put it back even, and now we're back in the same spot."
The fresh start didn't do much to help the Panthers (16-8-3) afterall and it seemed to remotivate the Cyclones.
Russellville (19-5-1) scored twice more before halftime as Gilberto Jimenez scored an unassisted goal in the 31st minute and then assisted on a Rice goal in the 35th minute as the Cyclones took a 3-1 lead at halftime.
Russellville's fourth and final score came in the 45th minute when Justin Fuentes scored off a Gilles Jacquemin assist.
The Cyclones outshot Siloam Springs 27-12, including an 11-4 mark on goal.
"We just kind of fell apart there at the end of the first half," Crenshaw said. "Our body language was bad at halftime, couldn't get them motivated to go again. I thought we played OK in the second half. When that fourth goal went in, I don't think there was anyway anybody could score three goals against that team. Two goals maybe, but three goals that would take something special."
Sports on 05/20/2018