RHS teams get first-round soccer playoff wins

The 2022 AHSAA Class 4A-5A soccer playoffs kicked off at Russellville High School, and the Golden Tigers got first-round wins in both boys’ and girls’ action to advance.

April 28 the RHS boys hosted the Brewer Patriots and got a 10-0 victory. Russellville got off to a bit of slow start, but a penalty kick goal by Vicente Machic almost seven minutes into the contest put the Golden Tigers up 1-0. Manny Martinez, who drew the foul leading to the penalty kick, scored goal two of the evening with 27:39 remaining in the first half.

The Golden Tigers got their third goal with 14:01 to go in the half when Orlando Jimenez found the back of the net. Yamilson Velasquez kept the scoring going with a goal just over a minute later, and Jonathan Salgado quickly followed that up with a header that excited the crowd to put RHS up 5-0.

Russellville finished the first half with a goal from Emanuel Villegas and another from Jimenez. Those were followed by penalty kick goals from Martinez and Raymond Espana to make the score 9-0 at the break.

The contest didn’t last long into the second half, as Erick Jacobo put the game-ender into the net with 32:27 left on the clock to make the score 10-0.

Luis Salgado was the starting goal keeper for the Golden Tigers.

Russellville’s girls opened the playoffs at home April 29 and got a 4-0 victory over West Point.

Senior goal keeper Jayna Poss and the RHS defense held the Warriors scoreless as the Golden Tigers advanced to round two. Russellville got goals from three different players against West Point. Ashley Garcia scored twice for RHS, and she was joined by Kathy Sanchez and Gloria Sop as goal scorers. The goal by Sanchez came on a penalty kick.