Sunnyside puts Salpointe landmarks in the second round of Division after eliminating Gilbert – all sports tuson

Sunnyside-Salpointe Soccer from 2015-16

The results of Sunnyside-Salpointe’s football rivalry, as Sunnyside coach Casey O’Brien became the prime coach of the Blue Devils in 2015. Sunnyside was 9-6-1 in the series during this period, but Salpointe won three of the last four games.

No. 8 Salpointe, coming out of 5-0 win over No. 25 Phoenix Tolleson in the first round match on Wednesday, beat Sunnyside 2-0 earlier this season at Brandon Bean Invitational in Salpointe.

It was Lancers’ third consecutive victory over Sunnyside in Salpointe, dating from the 2021-22 season.

“It’s quite crazy to have two teams that can fix five teams in South Arizona with how big a Phoenix is ​​and what they can offer,” O’Brien said. “This is a cool rivalry. It was really, really intense from all the time I was here with Salpointe.

“Before I got here, they turned out to be the best of us all the time. We have been able to achieve the best of them at least 50 percent of the time since I have been here. It’s cool to play them in the playoffs because with Open, we wouldn’t have this opportunity. “

S@Shsdevilsports Coach Casey O’Brien said the Salpointe match on Friday at 6:00 pm in the second round of the Open Division State Tournament was “a hell of a rivalry. I think at the moment this is probably the best rivalry in South Arizona, maybe for every sport, honestly … Pic.twitter.com/jlgq1eunnc

– Javier Morales (@javierjmorales) February 13, 2025

In the nine years before O’Brien’s arrival in 2015, Sunnyside was 1-9-1 against Salpointe.

Two of the best players in the history of sports in the state will be in the same field – Sunnyside Angel Bracamontes-Pulido and Salpointe’s Leo GutierrezS

Bracamontes-Pulido is the career record holder 6A in goals (80), assists (68) and points (228).

Bracamonte-Pulido’s 33 assists last season is a 6A record. He is a shy of this brand this year.

More 6A records for Sunnyside Standout:

• Most assists in the game-sedeema when winning 15-0 over Marana’s visit two weeks ago.

• Most points in the game – 13 against Marana in the same game.

• Most points in the season – 105 last season (94 this year).

Gutierrez scored four goals in Salpointe’s victory over Tolleson on Wednesday, adding to his state record of 165 career goals. He has scored 28 goals in the last 11 games.

He also has a 4A record for 54 goals a season and has accumulated 25 Het tricks in his career.

“We will be ready; We are glad to play them, “said O’Brien, who trains Suniside to the 2018-19 state title. “At that moment, I am excited to play anyone and time to be honest with you.

“I am happy that we won today. I am happy that we are going to progress. I hope to put our best foot ahead on Friday. I’m sure we’ll do it. The children are really excited. “

Sunnyside entered this post-season, motivated by the disappointing elimination of last year by the State Tournament 6A, in which he lost his first game of the season at the defeat of 2-1 from the meat at home in a quarterfinal match.

No. 9 @Shsdevilsports Defender Javier Gonzalez was part of the efforts that restricted No. 24 Gilbert to just two shots in the door in the second half, not in the last 35 minutes, in the 1-0 victory of the Blue Devils in the first round match of the Open Division. Pic.twitter.com/nw0khaoll2

– Javier Morales (@javierjmorales) February 13, 2025

The blue devils ended last season 23-1-1 and spent the rest of the spring and summer, with this loss serving as a fuel during its traditionally intensive training under O’Brien.

“Light fire under our ass to be honest with you,” senior defender Javier Gonzalez He said about the loss to meat. “We are working hard. We use this as a fire and we just work hard. “

O’Brien attributes the victory on Wednesday over Gilbert for his defense, especially in Gonzalez’s game and his colleague Senior Adrian Gutierrez.

Gilbert had only two shots on the door throughout the second half, both of which were the sign of the 55-minute and the game still to no avail.

“We have two adults like the center and they lead the defense and they do a great job,” O’Brien told Gonzalez and Gutierrez. “Tonight they really appeared for us, and it was huge the way they played.”

O’Brien’s mix of senior management and young talents was exposed to a sophomore Pedro Vega-BenetizWhoever spent time in the team for junior Varsiti this year by scoring the lone goal of his first goal for Varsiti-on the 63-minute sign.

Suniside goal
Pedro Vega Benetiz, who spent time in the JV team this year, puts the Blue Devils in front of Gilbert 1-0 on the 63-minute sign. Pic.twitter.com/Gyux9O0FW

– Javier Morales (@javierjmorales) February 13, 2025

Vega-Bennetite Pass from the right wing to the center of the field went to Johan Jimenezwhose shot came out of the right post in the game. Brian Bakahui tried to shoot but the ball bounced from a defender Dieggo Resendizwho moved to Vega-Bennetite.

The 14-yard Vega Bennetite shot escaped from the goalkeeper on the left side of the door. Sunnyside players were euphoric, celebrating in the liturgy with Vega-benetis on the pitch.

Sunnyside had numerous attacks and shots on the door throughout the match that did not find the sign to the goal of Vega-Bennetite.

“We usually don’t play an attacker (what Vega-Bennetite was against Gilbert),” O’Brien thinks he plays the sophomore in a game of this scale. “For us, this changed the way we look at the field and the way we look in our formation.

“We actually did it with him before we go to it and practice it. This gives us a completely different look with it from above because it remains tall. He is an attacker. He makes us much different and then Angel must play under him and be more playmaker. “

Follow @Javierjmorales On Twitter!

The publisher of AllSportstucson.com, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former winner of the Arizona Award for the press. He is a former reporter of the Ariz Daily Star star for the Arizona Basketball Team, including when Wildcats won the NCAA 1996-97 title. He also wrote articles about Collegead.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy, Tucsoncitizen.com, Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He is also the author of the book The Highest Form of Life, which is available on Amazon. He became a lecturer in 2016 and is currently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School at Unnyside Unified School District.