MINDEN - Two late goals pushed the North Valleys boys' soccer team to a 4-2 win over Douglas Wednesday afternoon.
It was the 30 minutes or so prior to those goals, however, that had Douglas coach Vince Brown thinking bigger picture.
Douglas dominated time of possession, scoring chances and shots on goal for most of the second half and nearly took the lead on a shot sent just high in front of an open net with 11 minutes remaining.
"There were about 30 minutes there where they were out there dominating one of the top sides in the league," Brown said. "I haven't seen, with this group yet, where they have believed from the first minute that they could win it. It's been flashes and stretches here and there.
"After the Reed game (a 2-0 loss in Sparks last week), I think they came away believing they belonged in these games against tough teams. Then there was a tentativeness to start today. When they work together as a team, it is a quality unit. It's 11 players combining to be something more as a group than as individuals."
Douglas fell behind 2-0 on a pair of nearly identical shots to the upper left corner of the net from 25-yards out in the 11th and 36th minutes.
Douglas' Daniel Calderon narrowed the deficit just before halftime, weaving inside the defense with a strong sidestep and blasting a grounder to the far post.
"We got that boost going into halftime that got us going," Brown said.
The Tigers tied the game up in the 57th minute when a hard-charging Jaden Mustacchio one-timed a cross from Connor Greth in the air.
"We practice and practice that sequence," Brown said. "Until it happens in a game, you don't believe you can do it. That was an important goal. We want to send men wide at a fast pace."
North Valleys regained the lead in the 70th minute on a similar one-time shot from a cross and then tacked on a goal in injury time to set the final score.
Douglas keeper Francisco Sanchez had a number of big saves in the game, including one on a penalty kick just before time expired.
"We were right in there and the kids believed they could get it done," Brown said. "When they work together they can do some great things. They won one game last year. We can't turn it around overnight. But the more we come together, the more we'll accomplish."
DAYTON BOYS BLANK YERINGTON
DAYTON - P.J. Vasquez scored two goals to lift the Dust Devils to a 3-0 win over Yerington.
Vasquez scored twice in the first 24 minutes, and Leo Rodriguez, the Dust Devils' leading scorer, scored the final goal in the 60th minute.
Coach Karl Watts lauded the play of Daniel Alfaro and Martin Rubio, a freshman.
JV SOCCER: Douglas JV TIES
MINDEN - The Douglas High JV team tied North Valleys, 4-4, on Wednesday. Edgar Hernandez scored three goals. Oliver Lopez and Keaton Fitzhugh each assisted on a goal. Giovanni Baltazar Hernandez scored the other goal. Douglas, 0-1-1, plays at 3 p.m. Saturday at Wooster.
CARSON EDGES REED
Carlos Alvarado, off an assist by Mario Escalante, scored a first-half goal to give the Senators a 1-0 win over visiting Reed.
The Senators played airtight defense and didn't allow a shot on goal. Coach Joe Briggs praised the play of Adam Shoaf, Cruz Kerver, Bryan Dones and Porfirio Jauregui.
GIRLS SOCCER: DAYTON GIRLS ROLL
DAYTON - The Dayton girls soccer team rolled to a 12-1 victory over Yerington on Wednesday. Maribel Ledezma and Devon Cates each scored a hat trick in the game.
It was Ledezma's second consecutive hat trick. Scoring single goals were Savannah Parsons, Severina Hernandez, Madison Reid, Serena PIstilli, Erika McCoy and Crystal Lozano.
Coach Jared Miklich was pleased with the defense from Andrea Ramirez and the offensive effort of Cates. The coach was happy with the team's passing in the last 15 minutes., something he stressed his team needs to work on.
Dayton, 3-3-1, plays at Incline on Tuesday.