The stage is set: Blue Ridge vs. Desert Christian in state soccer final

The stage is set for the Arizona prep 1A-3A boys state soccer final at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. It's just as I predicted Tucson Desert Christian vs. the defending champs from Lakeside Blue Ridge.

Both the Yellow Jackets and the Screaming Eagles cruised through their semi finals today at CVHS with Desert Christian knocking off Snowflake, 5-1, and Blue Ridge with a 4-0 blanking of Tucson St. Gregory. DC scored their goals early and Blue Ridge picked up their goals late. The Screaming Eagles held a 4-0 lead in the first half over the Lobos and added another marker in the second half for good measure, while the Yellow Jackets waited til the clock struck the 64th minute before they started to rattle the scoreboard. Four goals over an 11-minute span in the second half put away the Hawks.

The Hawks' goalie had his hands full all night warding off shot after shot by the Yellow Jackets. Defensively, the Yellow Jackets held the Screaming Eagles' prolific scorer, Frankie Mgoblu, in check all night. Mgoblu took the final shot of the game. The ball sailed high over the goal and bounced off the football crossbar behind the net. The ball rolled back on the field and came to a stop a few feet away from Mgoblu, who sat on his backside and took one last look at the scoreboard.

It was a tough night for Mgoblu, the Hawks, as well as the Lobos. As for the Yellow Jackets and the Screaming Eagles, there's one more day.

Bookemdano footnote: I have a lot friends and acquaintances in the soccer final tomorrow. I'm good friends with the Blue Ridge head coach, Bryon Crain, and the Desert Christian assistant coach, Mike Steele. And I have a favorite player or two on both teams: Trey Cavanaugh and Clayton Crain from Blue Ridge and Scott Waller and Caleb Steele from Desert Christian. It should be a hard-fought match tomorrow.