OAKWOOD — After weeks of eyeing a region title showdown, the East Hall boys soccer team was not about to let that opportunity slip away on Friday -- especially against rival West Hall.
The second-ranked Vikings ensured they will play third-ranked Dawson County for the Region 7-AAA crown on Tuesday courtesy a 4-0 win over the Spartans in Oakwood.
"We want to get that region title, and we knew today was trying to get in our way, but we weren't going to let it," East Hall senior Leo Toledo said. "We knew we had to fight through this game; we knew it would be tough."
Sergio Turcios bagged two goals, while Toledo and Maury Ibarra also struck for the Vikings (16-1, 5-0 Region 7-AAA) to ensure fairly smooth passage into next week's mouth-watering encounter with the Tigers in Rabbittown.
"This was a fairly mild game as compared to what Tuesday will be," said Vikings coach Ted Deppe, whose team has battled Dawson County into penalty shootouts in region contests in each of the last four seasons. "It's great to have that opportunity against a great Dawson County team. Both teams come up big for that game."
East Hall came up big on Friday, battling through a gritty first half in taking a 2-0 lead before cruising through the final 20 minutes.
"We're playing great right now," Toledo said. "Our defense is fabulous; our attack is great. The pieces are coming together."
Toledo got things going early for the Vikings -- though he needed a couple of warm-up shots to get on the board.
The prolific scorer earned a penalty kick just over three minutes after kickoff when he was hauled down running on to a clever chip from Ibarra. But the East Hall striker could not find a way past West Hall goalkeeper Rodolfo Alarcon -- who actually saved two Toledo penalties. Alarcon moved off his line early to snare the first spot kick, awarding Toledo a second attempt, but Alarcon again made the save to keep the game scoreless.
"I'm human; I've missed before. You just can't let it get in your head," said Toledo, who would not miss a third attempt.
Beating the keeper to a pass inside the West Hall penalty area, Toldeo cut past another defender and held the ball for a split second -- just enough time to pick his head up and slot a 14-yard shot past two more defenders crowding the goal line.
The strike made it 1-0 for East Hall with 27:35 left in the first half -- though it did not trigger a Vikings avalanche. In fact, West Hall responded with its best attack of the contest, Sergio Hernandez surging forward and rolling a 16-yard shot just wide of the Vikings goal.
But no sooner had the Spartans found their offensive feet than they absorbed another Vikings' haymaker. This time Turcios provided the finishing touch for East Hall -- though he was helped along the way by a deflection, as his 18-yard shot looped off a Spartans defender and into the net for a 2-0 advantage with 22 seconds left in the half.
Turcios tacked on another goal early in the second half, running on to a perfectly-weighted pass from Toledo before curling a 12-yard shot past Alarcon for a 3-0 lead.
Moments later it was 4-0, as Ibarra pounced on a corner kick and ripped a shot into the Spartans net with 22:37 remaining.
"We're playing well right now, and we need to be to get ready for the playoffs," said Deppe, whose team can finish no worse than the No. 2 seed. "I think this team has settled in and has plenty of experience now from this season."
The Vikings hope to make that experience pay off in next week's showdown.
"We're going to finish this," Toledo said. "We know what we have to do, and with our offense and our mentality I don't think anyone can beat us."
West Hall (6-5-1, 4-2), meanwhile, has completed its region schedule and will take the No. 3 seed from 7-AAA. The Spartans will look to bounce back on Tuesday against Flowery Branch
WEST HALL GIRLS 2, (3-2 penalty shootout)
EAST HALL 1
The Lady Spartans kept their playoff hopes alive with a gritty performance that saw them equalize in the second half before nailing three spot kicks in a shootout win.
West Hall (3-10, 2-4 Region 7-AAA) can still finish the regular season tied with East Hall (5-11-1, 2-3) and Banks County in the 7-AAA standings for the fourth and final playoff spot, which would trigger a number of tiebreakers that could push the Lady Spartans into the playoffs.
East Hall's Marcy Villatoro struck first to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage with just six minutes left in the first half.
The lead did not last long, however, as West Hall's Reagan Horton responded with tying goal just five minutes into the second half to make it 1-1.
Neither team could break the deadlock over the remaining 35 minutes of regulation or two five minute overtime periods, sending the game into a penalty shootout -- where the Lady Spartans proved too precise for the Lady Vikings.
Tammy Pham, Angela Benitez and Shelley Anderson each converted spot kicks for West Hall -- Benitez's just crossing the line as East Hall goalkeeper Elizabeth Barcenas smothered the ball just a hair's breadth inside the goalmouth.
Kimberly Quintanilla and Niyha Khan each converted penalties for the Lady Vikings -- but it wasn't enough, as West Hall goalkeeper Lucero Ibarra saved two spot kicks and watched another fly wide to help the Lady Spartans seal the win.
