Despite dropping five seeds and falling to fourth place in Section I after a 4-1 loss at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy, Sedona Red Rock High School [7-3] can make in the Division III boys soccer playoffs with a Senior Night win Thursday, Jan. 29, over Scottsdale Christian Academy.
“I, personally, can’t wait for it,” said defender Nicholas Hambrick, one of four Scorpions seniors who will be honored in their final boys soccer game. “I want to remember this game for the rest of my life.”
The berth in the state tournament, which begins Wednesday, Feb. 4, would be the second in five seasons for head coach Cindy Hauserman, who nevertheless has her team, ranked No. 13 out of 16 playoff-eligible teams in the Arizona Interscholastic Association power rankings, taking nothing for granted.
“We’ve got to level up,” she said. “We’re starting freshmen now and we’re very green — it’s hard, with the injuries we’ve had. We’re just going to have to pull it out from deep down. We’ve got to have some serious guts.”
She doesn’t have to communicate any of that to Hambrick, fellow defender Mason Bradshaw or fellow senior Jose Aviles-Moya, all of whom seek their first-ever postseason bid.
Senior midfielder Benny Guadarrama will not be able to play against the Eagles due to a left knee injury suffered Monday, Jan. 26.
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Jan. 28, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.
