Sophomore Julian Travaglia’s second-half goal against Glendale Preparatory Academy, off an assist from senior Jordan Rivera, lifted the Sedona Red Rock High School boys soccer team to a three-game sweep and championship of the Coyotes Classic.

“Julian made a diagonal run across,” head coach Cindy Hauserman recalled the 4-2 win Dec. 12 at Arizona Lutheran Academy. “Jordan placed a bending ball between two back defenders. Julian touched it and sent it home.”

If a tournament championship wasn’t enough of a boost for the Scorpions, the return of junior fullback Joel Diaz along with two key seniors, goalkeeper Corbin Pulido and midfielder Jesus Dominguez, gives the Scorpions 17 players heading into their Division IV, Section III opener at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5.

“He’s got a wicked left-foot shot,” Hauserman said of Dominguez, last year’s team steals leader. “He’s an awesome defender. His timing is really good. He’s patient.

“Joel had gotten a concussion from a car accident, so we’ve eased him back into things.”

The sectional opener will be the first game on the new SRRHS stadium turf, and against new competition from Buckeye — the Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies.

“We’re going to control everything we can about the game — possession, timing — and go in prepared,” she said.

“We’re going to have to find a balance, get everyone healthy and get ready for one helluva month.”

Pulido’s return to goal, backed up by freshman Andres Aguilar — one of two sons of head girls soccer coach Juan Carlos Aguilar playing for Hauserman — will allow senior Daniel Ruiz to slide from starting goalkeeper to captain the defense.

It was senior striker Francisco “Paco” Hernandez who voluntarily gave way to Travaglia in order to take charge of the Scorpions’ defenders Dec. 12.

“Paco selflessly came back off the front line, kept everybody organized [and] stepped up as a phenomenal leader on that back line,” Hauserman said of Hernandez, whose personal objective is to break Ryan Cadigan’s five-year-old SRRHS record for goals scored in a season — 46. “We wouldn’t let them in. He sacrificed for the team.”

By the Scorpions’ second sectional game Tuesday, Jan. 12, at Bourgade Catholic High School, Hauserman hopes the future of her defense blossoms — Clark Borjon, who Hauserman already has called “one of the most dynamic freshmen I’ve ever seen come through” the program and who possesses a “natural ability to work with the space on the field.”

“My job would be to never let him lose that joy of playing that he’s got,” she said. “There’s something in that kid — his gusto for the game. It’s in his blood.”

“That’s my goal: I want to see guys out here loving what they’re doing [and] loving the teammates they’re with.”

If the Scorpions can handle Dysart, Paradise Honors and Wickenburg high schools the final week of the season, Hauserman believes they have enough gusto to win at least a sectional title.

“We play Wickenburg, then we play Dysart, back-to-back, which looks to be our strongest competition so far,” Hauserman said. “I thought Paradise Honors would be our No. 1 competition, [but] Dysart just beat Paradise Honors.”

For all the Coyotes Classic boys soccer scores, please see the Friday, Jan. 1, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.