Boys soccer: Catalina Foothills solidifies playoff spot with win over Ironwood Ridge
by Andy Morales on Jan. 17, 2013, under Sports
Jean Butron signals to the home crowd after he scored to help defeat Ironwood Ridge 2-0. The victory had major playoff implications for both teams. Andy Morales Photo.
The state playoffs for Divisions I-III boys soccer will start on Wednesday, January 30. There will be a 16-team bracket with top three seeded teams from each of the three sections earning an automatic bid for a total of nine teams. The final seven spots will be based on overall seeding and will be considered at-large bids.
Like last year, only the top four seeded teams will be guaranteed a home match in the first round. If everything works out correctly, the top four schools will host a pod of four teams that will play in a double header with the two winning teams moving on to the quarterfinals.
As of Thursday night, this is how the playoff picture looked for Southern Arizona teams that are either in or on the edge:
DIVISION I
7: Rincon/UHS
11: Tucson High
DIVISION II
3: Salpointe
14: Catalina Foothills
16: Ironwood Ridge
19: Canyon del Oro
21: Nogales
DIVISION III
4: Douglas
8: Palo Verde
14: Catalina
17: Amphi
19: Rio Rico
20: Pusch Ridge
21: Thatcher
As of now, only Salpointe and Douglas are in a position to host a playoff match but one of the biggest matches of the season took place at Catalina Foothills (5-3-1) Thursday night with the Falcons clinging to the last automatic bid from Division II/Section II and Ironwood Ridge (6-2) holding the last at-large bid in the division.
Ironwood Ridge needed a victory to flip the fortunes of both teams but the Falcons came away with a 2-0 win. The results of the win will not be reflected in the AIA/MaxPreps seedings until Friday afternoon.
Ironwood Ridge goalie Derek van Zijll withstood a steady dose of shots by Catalina Foothills (11 unofficial saves) but the winning goal came in the 56th minute after Tyler Rice found Jean Butron on a throw in.
The Nighthawks gave up an own goal in the 74th minute to go down 2-0. Ryan Bristow came back two minutes later with The Ridge’s best chance at a score but his shot on Cameron Rivera (5 saves) glanced off the cross bar.
Ironwood Ridge remaining schedule
1/18 at Pusch Ridge
1/22 at Canyon Del Oro
1/24 vs. Mountain View
Catalina Foothills remaining schedule
1/19 at Sabino
1/22 vs. Sahuaro
1/24 vs. Sabino
