Samuel Gleadle didn’t waste any time trying to get his Campo Verde squad started, creating shots in the first few minutes of Monday’s Mustang Classic championship match at Dobson.
It took almost the whole first half for the Coyote junior to get on the scoreboard, but with a little help from his brother, he gave his team momentum in leading Division II Campo Verde to a 4-1 over Division I Laveen Cesar Chavez on Monday.
“It’s a lot better than it was because the last couple of games we gave up the first goal and had to come from behind do it was good to get the early lead,” Gleadle said. “We talked about coming out fast because we always start off slow so that was the first thing on my mind – come out fast.”
Gleadle got two goals in the final five and a half minutes of the first half but Chavez struck back with one in the 45th minute to try and switch the momentum.
Anthony Arellano used his head less than a minute later to give Campo Verde a 3-1 lead and scored off another header later in the half for the Coyotes’ fourth goal.
The win certainly gives the team some confidence going into the rest of the season after wins over perennial power Goodyear Millennium in pool play and rallying for a 2-1 victory over the tournament hosts in Saturday’s semifinals.
“It’s good to get a taste of winning,” Gleadle said. “Hopefully we can continue forward going to state and get a good result in state.”
In the 25th minute, Campo Verde (14-1-1) took advantage of the first defensive lapse, getting behind the Chavez backline. Gleadle missed a shot attempt in the box but his brother, freshman Luke Gleadle, regained possession and got the ball back to his older sibling for a 10-yard shot that the older Gleadle put into the net.
Less than 90 seconds later, Arellano passed to Sam Gleadle, who again buried a shot from short range, his 19th goal of the season, and give Campo Verde a 2-0 lead at the break.
“The nice thing is Sam can finish,” said Campo Verde coach Drew Guarneri. “I got other kids around him that are doing the dirty work to allow him to put away the chances and he is dangerous, he creates a lot of problems for people.”
Irbyn Cortez made a nice turn on a 12-yard shot to get Chavez back in the game with less than five minutes gone in the second half and then tried to get the equalizer just seconds later but Coyote keeper Jacob Fox turned that chance away with a nice save and Campo Verde never relinquished the lead.
Peyton Oyler crossed the ball to Arellano for the first headed in the 46th minute and then Devin Ries had a long free kick into the box headed by Arellano in the 54th minute for the final two scores.
The shorter, quick Champions tried to play a more physical game but could not get any offensive flow.
DlRies posted at 10:30 am on Wed, Jan 2, 2013.
Just a slight correction. The long free kick that resulted in the fourth goal was taken by number 7 Devin Ries. Not Zimmerman. I just wanted to let you know in case you wanted to fix it.