Paso Robles to host Madera South Thursday
PASO ROBLES — After finishing the regular season 10-9-3 playing in the arduous Mountain League, the Bearcat boys soccer team earned the number four seed in Division 2 of the CIF Central Section Playoff and cruised to a 3-0 opening-round victory over Stockdale Tuesday night.
Paso Robles spent nearly its entire season playing against Division 1 opponents while they reside in Division 2 and it showed Tuesday night as they dismantled the Stockdale Mustangs, sending them home with barely a shot on goal to show for their efforts.
“The last couple games we have been kind of weak,” Bearcat senior captain Jesus Rico- Toscano said following the game. “And we wanted to step up our game and set the tone so that we could get the win, and I think we did that.”
The Bearcats played the entire game as if their hair was on fire, putting pressure on the Mustangs backline throughout the evening. For the first 20 minutes, Stockdale was able to hold off the charge from the crimson cats, but in the 25th minute, junior Santiago Morfin broke the scoreless drought off a corner kick from Daniel Almaguer.
Five minutes later, Sergio Hernandez added another goal off an assist from teammate Alfredo Moreno and the Bearcats offense was off and rolling while the defense was nearly impenetrable.
“I think for all of us as a team, we were really disappointed in our season, and we don’t think our record really showed who we were,” Junior forward Noah Dewhurst said. “Coach has kept telling us that this is a new season, so we wanted to prove to everyone who we are this season.”
Dewhurst scored his lone goal of the game in the second half but had the potential to score seven or eight goals Tuesday night had all his shots landed on target. The curly-haired forward played with a desire that was greater than those around him and was constantly around the ball, creating problems for the Mustangs.
The Bearcats will now host the No. 5 seeded Madera South — who beat the Hounds 3-0 on Tuesday — this Thursday night in the second round of the Division 2 playoffs at War Memorial Stadium.
