FAYETTEVILLE -- Siloam Springs has won its share of state championships in boys soccer in recent years, but the Panthers have found the Class 6A title an elusive target since moving up in class in four years ago.
Siloam Springs finally grabbed ahold of the 6A championship trophy Friday.
Siloam Springs got second-half goals from seniors Aldair Umana and Ricardo Aguilar and avenged its loss in the title game a year ago with a 2-0 victory over two-time defending champion Russellville at Razorback Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
It's Siloam Springs third state championship overall, having won back-to-back state titles in Class 5A in 2011 and 2012. The Panthers moved to Class 6A in 2013 but lost to Searcy 3-2 and then were defeated by the Cyclones 2-1 last year.
"It's a great feeling definitely after coming back from two tough losses my freshman year and junior year," said Umana, a four-year starter for Siloam Springs. "It really hurt us a lot. I think it's what pushed the seniors and a lot of the underclassmen who were there last year to come out and play the best we could. We as a team knew that if we played how we know how to play, it would have been a good day for us."
Siloam Springs defeated 7A/6A-Central Conference foe Russellville for the third time this season. There was a 3-0 victory at Panther Stadium in Siloam Springs on April 12, and a second victory, which came on penalty kicks in Russellville on May 3.
"I love my guys and they gave it all they had," said
Russellville Coach Jared Fuller said he couldn't fault the Cyclones' effort, but admitted that Siloam Springs is the better team this year.
"I've got a lot of respect for their coaches and their team and the kind of performance they had today," Fuller said.
The game remained scoreless until the 50th minute when Umana struck a bender into the far corner of the net just from the edge of the 18-yard box. Umana drew a yellow card after taking his shirt off while celebrating the goal.
"He's a typical forward, can frustrate you at times but then he'll do something brilliant like that," Siloam Springs Coach Brent Crenshaw said of Umana. "And just hit an impossible angle, bent the ball around the goalkeeper and the back of the post."
Siloam Springs' second goal came off a misplay from Russellville's goalkeeper Saul Sierra in the 77th minute. Sierra made a play on a shot and sent the ball right to the feet of Ricardo Aguilar, who scored easily for a 2-0 lead.
"They've got a really good goalkeeper and he gave us a gift," Crenshaw said.
Siloam Springs defense led by defenders Nathanael Long, Jack Bos and goalkeeper Jose Yanes helped preserve the shutout over the final minutes as Russellville made a late push.
The victory marked the second state title in the same day for Crenshaw, who came to Siloam Springs having never won a state title when he was hired last summer.
Crenshaw coached the Siloam Springs girls team to a title earlier on Friday, then the boys.
"God is good, man," said Crenshaw, who is in his 15th year as a soccer coach. "He's blessed me to come work in Siloam with these great kids and this great community. I couldn't be happier for our boys."
Sports on 05/21/2016