William P. Scott is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Central High School for AZPreps365.com

The Central boys soccer team recorded its first victory of the season against South Mountain, winning 2-1 on Tuesday to advance in the PXU boys soccer tournament. 

The Bobcats dominated the first half of the game in an imposing display. Midfielder Balter Alfredo scored the first in the 11th minute after a moment of magic. Joshias Prudente laid the ball off for Alfredo on the edge of the box, who dribbled past two center-backs and fired it into the bottom corner. 

After that the floodgates opened, and Central could’ve had several. Carlos Aniceto Olea had a header tipped over the bar from point-blank range in the 14th minute, and Ismail Foza had a goal disallowed for offside in the 21st minute. 

He scored a legal goal seven minutes later. Prudente found Foza with a through ball, and he finished through the goalkeeper’s leg from a tight angle. 

Aniceto Olea could’ve had two more after that but couldn’t quite finish, something that frustrated him after the game.

“I felt good,” Aniceto Olea said. “I could’ve done better though. Finished the shots.” 

Central were made to rue its profligacy in front of goal in the first half, as they were immediately on the back foot the next half. 

South Mountain came out of the blocks quickly, having two clear-cut chances to score within the first ten minutes. Central couldn’t get control of the game, something Williams put down to inexperience. 

“I think we kind of lost our composure the second half, but I think that’s just another point for us to practice and learn,” Williams said. “To be the same at the end as we are at the beginning.”

The goal eventually came in the 45th minute, when Juan Hernandez received a poor pass and was immediately pressured by two South Mountain attackers. He gave the ball up to Rogelio Rodriguez who was one on one with the keeper, and promptly finished past the onrushing Abel Arreola. 

Hernandez had an excellent game, but took responsibility for the goal.

“Everyone was saying for us to go forward, and then it came back,” Hernandez said. “It was a bad pass to me but I panicked in the moment and I didn’t send it.” 

The remaining 25 minutes were nervy, but didn’t yield many chances for either side. South Mountain’s pressure eventually dissipated, and the game turned scrappy. 

Foza had a few good chances in transition via long balls, one of which Aniceto Olea nearly scored. Foza’s shot was deflected across goal after being put through by Victor Hernandez, and Aniceto Olea arrived a moment too late to finish the chance. 

It got especially nervy for Central in the last ten minutes after Arreola hurt his knee attempting to save a long-range effort that sailed wide, but he wasn’t forced to make a save for the rest of the game. 

South Mountain rolled the dice in the last minute, sending their goalkeeper up for a corner, but it was headed over and Central advanced to the next round.

It was a much improved performance for the Bobcats, something Williams attributed to his players coming in with a different mentality.

“We came out and we just played,” Williams said. “We knew we were down players, we knew we didn’t have everybody that we had at the beginning of the tryouts or the tournament, so it was just go out and play. I think that helped them. They weren’t thinking so much.”

After expressing frustration in previous games that his teammates weren’t on the same wavelength as him, Foza was satisfied with the difference.

“Today I was happy because every forward was pressing the ball like I needed them to,” Foza said. “If I’m pressing the ball, we need everyone to press the ball. We were doing good, everybody was pressing.”

It was a much improved performance from everybody, but there were particular standouts. 

Alfredo again was dominant in midfield in the first half, and was ably aided by Prudente, who chimed in with two assists. Foza was a typically dangerous threat in transition, and was well supplied by freshman Jimmy Santizo, who launched several through balls over the defense. Aniceto Olea excelled as a team player, tracking back well and being in the right place at the right time for several chances. 

Man of the match however has to go to Juan Hernandez despite his mistake for the goal. He halted several South Mountain attacks singlehandedly, and ensured that the Jaguars’ strikers had a frustrating afternoon. Williams was impressed.

“I felt like Juan did a really good job of sealing off the back end because they had some speed, and they were trying to use it against us,” Williams said. 

Central (1-2) will play Maryvale (2-0) at 4 p.m Thursday.

South Mountain (1-1-1) is out of the tournament but will play at Desert Edge at 6 p.m.