SPRINGDALE -- Senior Erick Valverde and freshman Salvador Gonzalez scored goals to lead a patchwork Springdale High lineup to a 2-0 home win over Fayetteville on Friday.
Springdale (7-4-1, 3-3 7A-West) won despite coach DJ Beeler opting to bench his captains and several other starters while calling up five junior varsity players to play three days after a disappointing loss at Fort Smith Southside.
"Just really hadn't been meeting expectations in training and their general demeanor, so called up a bunch of JV kids, guys who have been working really hard," Beeler said. "Put a bunch of ninth and 10th graders out there and won a game. Those kids work hard, they play together, they get along and they were a good example of what it takes to be successful."
Valverde slipped the ball past the goalkeeper to give Springdale a 1-0 lead midway through the first half, an advantage it took into halftime. Gonzalez scored in the second half to add to the lead. He has been a key player all season, but was far from the only freshman contributor on Friday thanks to the new-look lineup.
"We're shifting our focus and we're going to put our energy into the kids that want to do it the right way," Beeler said. "The kids that don't want to do it the right way will be left behind."
Fayetteville (2-4 conference) had issues offensively for much of the night, struggling to maintain possession and mount attacks. And when it did get looks, it couldn't convert.
"It's getting to the stage now where it gets a bit frustrating," Fayetteville coach Steve Oliver said. "We're a passing team and tonight and tonight we couldn't pass anything. And when we can't do that, we're going to struggle."
Springdale will play at rival Springdale Har-Ber on Tuesday, while Fayetteville will visit defending Class 7A state champion Bentonville.
Girls
Fayetteville 5, Springdale High 0
Five Fayetteville players scored as the Lady Bulldogs rolled to the convincing shutout victory.
Fayetteville (10-2-1, 6-0 7A-West) dominated possession and led 2-0 at halftime thanks to goals by Cassidy Sykes and Myra Tubb. Mariam Bartlett, Falon Hanson and Berklie Young added goals in the second half as Fayetteville substituted freely in the win.
"We're playing a nonconference game (today) against Bryant in Russellville, so it was really good tonight cause it was cool temperatures, everybody got minutes, everybody contributed," Fayetteville coach Joe Thoma said. "I thought we played really well as a unit."
The win set up a showdown at Bentonville on Tuesday in a matchup which will feature the conference's two remaining unbeaten teams.
Jimmy Carter can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAJimmy.
Sports on 04/11/2015