Blue Ridge defends state soccer title

Defending a state prep soccer title isn't easy. Going unbeaten, winning 21 straight games isn't easy. Running the table in any sport at the prep or college level, for that matter, is not an easy task. But the Lakeside Blue Ridge Yellow Jackets got the job done as they held off a tough team from Tucson Desert Christian in the Arizona State 1A-3A boys soccer final tonight at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert.

The result: a 3-1 victory for the Yellow Jackets.

Blue Ridge picked up the first two goals of the match -- one by Jan Haltermann in the first half and the other by Trey Cavanaugh early in the second half. Desert Christian put up a valiant effort and at the midway point of the second half Scott Waller found the goal from 18 yards out to close the gap to 2-1. Things got a little tense from there. The Screaming Eagles battled hard for the next 17 minutes as they tried everything, including putting their two stars, Caleb Steele and Waller, on the same side. But the final goal of the game came with 3 minutes remaining and it came on a penalty kick,.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, it was the Yellow Jackets' Dallas Threlkeld who supplied the final point as he laced a 15-yard boot by the outstretched arms of Eagles' goalie Gabe Fennema. Fennema had an outstanding game as he kept the Yellow Jackets at bay for most of the game.

Hats off to coach Steve Lord and his Eagles' staff for a runner-up finish at state, and congrats go out to coach Bryon Crain and his Yellowjackets' staff on another state title.