Two more wins by the Sedona Red Rock High School boys and girls soccer teams have set up battles for control of not just their section, but the top seed in the Division IV state tournament.

Coach Cindy Hauserman’s boys [10-0] took it back, along with the Section III lead, from Dysart High School — which visits SRRHS on Saturday, Jan. 23, at 1 p.m. — with a 5-4 overtime win Saturday, Jan. 16, over No. 13 seed Coolidge High School.

Striker Francisco Hernandez had his sixth hat trick, scoring four goals including the game-winner with 3:30 remaining in the first overtime period after fellow senior midfielder Jesus Estudillo drove a hard kick over the heads of the Coolidge defenders, who were outraced to the goal by the speedy Hernandez.

Head girls coach Juan Carlos Aguilar’s run for No. 1 in the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s power rankings was slowed Friday, Jan. 15, with a 3-3 tie at 13th-ranked Coronado High School. But the Scorpions [4-1-1] still control their own destiny in the Section III title race.

If they can use home field Tuesday, Jan. 19, to hand Anthem Preparatory Academy its first loss of the season, SRRHS would not only lead the section with less than a week to play but knock the Eagles [6-0] off their No. 2 perch in the power rankings.

The boys also play Anthem Prep on Jan. 19, but neither score was available at press time.

However, fans still have time to come out for a doubleheader Thursday, Jan. 21, when both boys and girls soccer teams come together at home for the first and only time this season.

At 4 p.m., the boys host 11th-ranked Glendale Prep. Following the conclusion of that game, the girls are scheduled to take on winless North Pointe Prep at 6 p.m.

Boys Soccer

Senior Hernandez, who prefers to go by “Paco,” was definitely more asustado after the Scorpions lost a 4-2 second-half lead over Coolidge.

“Once they tied it up, I, personally, was kind of scared,” said Hernandez after a jump ball was headed backwards into the Scorpions goal, over senior Daniel Ruiz, with 2:41 remaining.

Ruiz had to be moved back from his center position along the back line of the Scorpions defense after senior goalkeeper Corbin Pulido left the game at the end of the first half after getting hit in the throat and feeling symptoms of a migraine headache.

The Scorpions were already down sophomore forward Julian Travaglia, forced to sit out the game after he received two yellow cards Thursday, Jan. 14, in a 5-1 win.

“It’s actually kind of hard to play without Julian on top,” Hernandez said.

Freshman Clark Borjon, who had the first pass in a “great” second-half goal before scoring one of his own against the Eagles, Hauserman said, made his first start in place of Travaglia.

“I had to do what I had to do,” Hernandez said. “We just pushed everyone back and I stayed up top.”

Senior midfielder Ivan Aguilar assisted on the first goal by freshman Elias Turnbull, nine minutes into the game, while sophomore Alan Ruvalcaba stepped in late to keep the pressure on up front.

“This was a real test of our mettle, our physicality and our mental toughness,” Hauserman said. “We were able to finish strong. I am pretty proud of our willingness to do our very best, no matter the adversity that comes our way.”

The Scorpions were well on their way to putting the Bears away after Estudillo scored the third SRRHS goal of the first half on a penalty kick with five minutes to play. Before, Mendoza had fed Hernandez a near-50-yard pass for their second straight connection and a 2-0 lead.

“These guys play for each other,” Hauserman said. “That’s why they’re so successful. They’re a really bonded team.”

But the Bears went after the Scorpions hard, rallying within a goal with 12:00 remaining on a long crossing kick into the left corner of the goal.

The day after the Glendale Prep game, SRRHS must travel to Wickenburg, then return home to host Dysart as part of three games in three days. Tuesday, Jan. 26 — three days after Dysart — the Scorpions conclude their regular season against the team ranked just below Dysart, third-ranked Paradise Honors High School.

“Hopefully, we can keep our form,” said Hernandez, who is 13 goals away from the SRRHS single-season goal-scoring record. “Get to State red card-free and injury-free.”

Girls Soccer

Two days after Aguilar’s 13 weary girls nearly let a 3-2 overtime win slip away against Cortez High School, it happened Jan. 15 in Scottsdale.

“The Coronado game was very intense,” Aguilar said. “The girls play[ed] [their] second overtime game in a week.”

Down, 3-2, to the Scorpions with 23 seconds to play, the Dons forced — and converted — a penalty kick.

Drained after most players played 100 minutes Jan. 15, the Scorpions had to travel to Buckeye the very next day for their first game against sectional opponent Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies.

Lesson learned, SRRHS shut out the Minotaurs, 8-0. Now, it’s all downhill for the girls after Jan. 19.

Only fringe postseason contender Paradise Honors High School — the Scorpions’ road finale Tuesday, Jan. 26 — has a winning record. Glendale Prep is ranked 15th headed into its game at SRRHS on Friday, Jan. 22.